Classic Rock Icons Black Sabbath Reach Notable Heights in Career with Popular Anthems
After the passing of Ozzy Osbourne on July 22, 2025, several Black Sabbath songs have seen a significant resurgence on major music charts. The 1970 classic "Paranoid" has made a notable comeback, re-entering the UK Official Singles Chart Top 40 and climbing as high as No. 18[1].
Besides "Paranoid," other Black Sabbath tracks have also charted:
- "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" both entered the UK Top 50, with "War Pigs" at No. 44 and "Iron Man" at No. 48[1].
The success of "Paranoid" on the Official Singles chart in the U.K. throughout the decades has been documented by the Official Charts Company. It is currently the only top 10 and longest-charting single by Black Sabbath, spending 18 weeks on the Official Singles chart in the summer of 1970 when it debuted and climbed to No. 4[1].
The ascent of "Paranoid" on the Official Streaming chart is a recent development, as the cut launched at No. 67 in the previous frame, but has since climbed to No. 26[1]. "War Pigs" has also climbed significantly, moving from No. 79 to No. 47, marking its highest position on the main songs tally[1]. "Iron Man" has also seen a similar rise, climbing from No. 93 to No. 48[1].
Both "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" have also debuted on the Official Single Sales chart and Official Singles Downloads rosters in the United Kingdom[1]. The improved positions of Black Sabbath's songs on the Official Singles chart in the U.K. are due to an outpouring of support from fans revisiting the catalog after Ozzy Osbourne's death.
Ozzy Osbourne's solo hits have also seen a resurgence internationally, with tracks such as "Crazy Train" (No. 21), "Mama, I’m Coming Home" (No. 39), and "No More Tears" (No. 47) charting in the UK around the same time[1].
In the US Billboard charts, Ozzy's solo tracks have charted on the Hot 100 and Hard Rock Songs charts after his death. For instance, "Crazy Train" reached No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart[2]. "Mama, I’m Coming Home" re-entered the Hot 100 at No. 49 and was number two on Hot Hard Rock Songs[2]. "No More Tears" and Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" also featured prominently on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart[2].
Additionally, Ozzy's greatest hits compilation "The Essential Ozzy Osbourne" reached No. 7 in the US charts, marking its first time in the Billboard Top 10[1].
In summary, Ozzy Osbourne’s passing caused a notable resurgence of both Black Sabbath’s and his solo work on UK and US charts, with "Paranoid" being the most prominent Black Sabbath song to chart highly again after decades[1][2][3].
[1] Official Charts Company. (2025). Official Singles Chart Top 100. [online] Available at: https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/black-sabbath-paranoid-returns-to-the-official-singles-chart-top-40-285884
[2] Billboard. (2025). Ozzy Osbourne: The Billboard Hot 100. [online] Available at: https://www.billboard.com/music/charts/hot-100
[3] Official Charts Company. (2025). Black Sabbath: The Official Singles Chart. [online] Available at: https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/black-sabbath-1046/
After the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, both Black Sabbath's songs and his solo work experienced a significant resurgence on music charts worldwide. In the UK, "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath made a comeback to the Official Singles Chart Top 40, while "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" entered the UK Top 50, with "War Pigs" reaching No. 44 and "Iron Man" at No. 48. This boom in popularity for Black Sabbath's music can be traced back to an outpouring of fan support in the aftermath of Ozzy Osbourne's death, as documented by the Official Charts Company.
