Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne was the original vocalist of Black Sabbath, joining in 1969 when the band first formed. His distinctive voice and stage presence were central to the band's early success through albums like Paranoid and Master of Reality. Um. Like Ozzy is the man from Sabbath and that's all there is to it, OK. I think his voice is better than Dio's. I've heard it all from both. They each got their style.
That's what makes for rock. Dio was superb with his singing but until you've been really blitzed and have listened to Oz from way back, you don't really know what you're even talking about. Ian Gillan also is fantastic. Nobody I know said they thought Deep Purple music was lavender.
The other singers were somewhat good but the music doesn't sound the same without Ozzy. His voice blends so well with the music! It's why Black Sabbath is what it is today! Everyone else tried but Ozzy surpassed them by far!
Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio joined Black Sabbath in 1979, replacing Ozzy Osbourne, and introduced a powerful, operatic vocal style. He contributed to several of the band's iconic albums, including Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. Dio is not only the best singer in Black Sabbath, he was the best singer in hard rock and heavy metal history. Some compare Dio with Rob Halford. Come on! Halford is great but can't sing hard rock songs like Dio did in Rainbow. Dio's voice can match hard rock classics like Stargazer, Gates of Babylon, Catch the Rainbow, Man on the Silver Mountain, etc. while he can sing the darkest Black Sabbath heavy metal songs. And Ozzy? He is not in Dio's league!
Dio's voice was the rarest mix of tone and power. Please don't compare the two. Ozzy was great at what he did, but not even in the room as being that quality of a singer. Also remember, without Dio, you may not have heard from Black Sabbath again in a meaningful way. We saw what happened when Dio left. I didn't hear good music or singing from them until Dio came back for Dehumanizer. Album Heaven and Hell helped redefine them.
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan, former Deep Purple vocalist, joined Black Sabbath briefly for the album Born Again in 1983. His collaboration with the band was short-lived but left a distinctive mark on their discography. Born Again is the most underrated Black Sabbath album. Ozzy is not even on the same planet as far as talent goes compared to Dio and Ian. He blows live and throwing buckets of water and being well liked doesn't make you a great singer. He was a great frontman but a mediocre singer.
No one compares to Gillan. He can sing Ozzy's material and Dio's.
Dio sucks! Gillan is the best ever!
Tony Martin
Tony Martin served as Black Sabbath's vocalist at various points between 1987 and 1997, performing on five of the band's studio albums. His tenure included albums like Headless Cross and Tyr, showcasing his range in the heavy metal genre. Tony is definitely the best singer Black Sabbath has had. His performance in Headless Cross was incredible, and he should have gained more popularity.
This band has had good singers but Black Sabbath with him means Black Sabbath band. In the world of rock singers, he has the most powerful voice.
Live shows were great with him because he could sing all other's songs with ease. He never became hoarse like that Dio fellow would.
Glenn Hughes
Glenn Hughes, known for his work with Deep Purple, was Black Sabbath's vocalist on the 1986 album Seventh Star. Although originally planned as a solo album for guitarist Tony Iommi, Hughes' involvement made it a unique addition to the band's catalog. Glenn is an all-time badass musician the world has ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
Rob Halford
Rob Halford, of Judas Priest fame, temporarily joined Black Sabbath as a live vocalist in 1992 when Ronnie James Dio refused to perform as an opening act for Ozzy Osbourne. Halford's live performances filled in during specific shows but did not lead to studio recordings.
Ray Gillen
Ray Gillen joined Black Sabbath in 1986 and began recording vocals for the album The Eternal Idol before departing the band. Although he left before the album's completion, some demo recordings with his vocals remain. Ronnie and Ray were on another level. Tony, Ian, and Glenn were on the next. Everyone else was cut rate.
If it wasn't for AIDS, he would have made a great career.
Dave Walker
Dave Walker, known for his work with Fleetwood Mac, joined Black Sabbath temporarily in 1977 during a transitional phase. He performed with the band in rehearsals but did not record any official releases with them.
Bill Ward
Bill Ward, Black Sabbath's founding drummer, also briefly took on vocal duties on select tracks, such as "Swinging the Chain" from Never Say Die! and "It's Alright" from Technical Ecstasy. His primary role, however, remained as the drummer throughout much of the band's classic lineup era. Soulful and real. Underrated as a Black Sabbath singer. Possibly overshadowed by his awesome drumming.
David Donato
David Donato was briefly Black Sabbath's vocalist in 1984 and worked on unreleased material during his tenure. Although his time with the band was short-lived, demo recordings from his sessions occasionally circulate among fans.
The Contenders
Ron Keel
Ron Keel, known for his heavy metal band Keel, auditioned for Black Sabbath and briefly rehearsed with the group in the early 1980s. Although he did not officially join, his interactions with the band add to the list of vocalists who nearly became part of the lineup.
Jeff Fenholt
Jeff Fenholt joined Black Sabbath in 1985 during a period of lineup instability and reportedly worked on early versions of what would become the Seventh Star album. Fenholt's association with the band remains a point of curiosity as he did not contribute to any officially released recordings.