Top 10 Best Dio Albums

Dio deserves more recognition, and this list is all about celebrating the one and only Ronnie James Dio. No Rainbow, no Black Sabbath, no Heaven and Hell. Just Dio at full force. His voice helped define an era of heavy metal with unmatched power, emotion, and storytelling.

If you've ever cranked one of his albums, then you already know why he stands apart. From rebellious anthems to dark fantasy themes, every record he made is packed with unforgettable moments.

This is your chance to honor his legacy. Vote for the albums you think are the best.

The Top Ten

  1. Holy Diver

    One of the greatest rock albums of all time containing his best 5 tracks:

    - Don't Talk to Strangers

    - Stand Up and Shout

    - Rainbow in the Dark

    - Holy Diver

    - Shame on the Night

    RJD is sadly missed, but he has left a true legacy with this phenomenal album, a classic!

    Undoubtedly his best. Why?

    Let's see:

    Stand Up and Shout 10/10

    Holy Diver 12/10

    Gypsy 9/10

    Caught in the Middle 10/10

    Don't Talk to Strangers 11/10

    Straight Through the Heart 9/10

    Invisible 10/10

    Rainbow in the Dark 10/10

    Shame on the Night 8/10

    One of the best '80s metal albums. Dio matches his work with Rainbow and Black Sabbath on this stellar classic.

    No filler, all killer. Classic and a must-have for anyone who's into metal.

  2. Lock Up the Wolves

    This for me is unquestionably the best Dio album behind the Vivian Campbell records. Outstanding.

    Great line-up. The guitarist is on fire!

    Great guitarists and great album. Very nice!

  3. The Last in Line

    No way is Dream Evil above this gem. Dream Evil contains the songs All the Fools Sailed Away, Night People, and I Could Have Been a Dreamer. However, I hate the song Overlove.

    I love every song on The Last in Line except I Speed at Night, which is listenable. I think The Last in Line should be above Dream Evil.

    Why is The Last in Line at #4? This is his best album!

    It needs to switch places with Sacred Heart or Lock Up the Wolves, which are still good albums but not better than this. I must be missing something as this album and Holy Diver went platinum, whereas the others never came close.

  4. Strange Highways

    I don't get why this album is considered the second worst Dio album. It's actually pretty decent.

    Jesus, Mary and the Holy Ghost, One Foot in the Grave, and Strange Highways are all belters.

    Dio's heaviest album to date! Totally underrated.

  5. Dream Evil

    From Night People to When a Woman Cries, the greatest work of Dio's solo career, with All the Fools Sailed Away and Sunset Superman as special leading songs.

    No diamonds here, but in general, a very tight album that you can listen to from start to end. Mainstream, radio-friendly sound and more melodic than previous Dio albums.

    Thumbs up!

  6. Killing the Dragon

    A bit different from his regular sound. Push is a very underrated song and the title track is awesome.

    This is an underrated album. I would say it is the best since The Last in Line.

  7. Magica

    An awesome concept album and a definite disappointment he wasn't able to make II and III. At least we have Electra to know what could've been.

    Anyway, an awesome story told through awesome songs.

    Banger album, a return to his more successful sound that his fans loved. My favorite track is Losing My Insanity.

    I love this album.

    A great concept album, with a really unique and heavy sound.

  8. Sacred Heart

    Just by looking at this list, I can see that this album is underrated. It's better than Dream Evil if you ask me.

    I think when Vivian Campbell left, the band wasn't as good as it used to be. Anyway, belter album should be higher.

    The underrated songs on this album, such as Shoot Shoot, Like the Beat of a Heart, Another Lie, and Just Another Day, are the kinds of songs that I love and make the album the 3rd best for me.

    Looks like Holy Diver is in no danger of losing its place, but this is more of the light, keyboard-drenched Dio that brightens my day.

  9. Holy Diver Live

  10. Angry Machines

    This is totally underrated. Sure, it's very different from the better sound (in fact, it's more like a Nirvana album), but there are still some absolute killers like Institutional Man, Don't Tell the Kids, Hunter of the Heart, Stay Out of My Mind, and This Is Your Life. So underrated!

    11. The Contenders

  11. Master of the Moon

    I can't believe this is rated lowest. For me, this is the second best Dio album (my favorite being The Last in Line), partially because of the atmosphere. Just listen to the title track.

    Better than Strange Highways and Lock Up the Wolves in my opinion.

  12. Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993

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