Black Sabbath

Disparaged by critics on its release, Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut is now considered among the most important albums in rock ’n’ roll history and certainly one of the earliest and most influential albums in the heavy metal genre. Said to have been recorded in a single day, according to guitarist Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath does feature extensive soloing on the band’s cover of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation song “Warning” to pad out the album. However, one listener's “padding” is another generation’s essential text, and every song here is now considered a classic. The overdubbing of rain and church bells at the start of the title track creates a foreboding sense that carries from the album’s cover to the thickly distorted guitar and bass notes. When combined with Bill Ward’s manic drumming and Ozzy Osbourne’s unusual foghorn of a voice, you've got the makings of a band unlike any other. Along with Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple (with an assist from Jimi Hendrix and the era's oversized amplification), Black Sabbath are the musicians who unintentionally started heavy metal.