It's undeniable thatOzzy Osbournereleased a plethora of groundbreaking, iconic and classic albums during his lifetime. With Black Sabbath, Ozzy and the group released fouralbums (Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4) that are considered masterpieces, and he kicked off his solo career with critically and commercially successful Blizzard of Ozz.
But as Ozzy would humbly say, not even he is perfect. There are a few misses in his discography, and 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of what is his least favorite project: The Ultimate Sin.
"[Producer] Ron Nevison didn't really do a great production job," Ozzy told Rolling Stonein 2019. "The songs weren't bad; they were just put down weird. Everything felt and sounded the f--king same. There was no imagination."
"If there was ever an album I'd like to remix and do better, it would be The Ultimate Sin," he added.
Ozzy Was Falling Out With His Band On 'The Ultimate Sin'
Released in the United States on Jan. 27, 1986 (and two weeks later, on Feb. 10, in the United Kingdom), The Ultimate Sin was Ozzy's fourth album as a solo artist—and one made during a tumultuous time in his life.
In 1985, Osbourne underwent treatment for substance abuse at the Betty Ford Center. He came back to a disgruntled band: guitarist Jake E. Lee was still unhappy over how little he was paid for his contributions on Ozzy's prior album, Bark at the Moon.
"From the beginning, every musician, it's always hammered into them, 'Keep your publishing' and 'Keep your writing,'" Lee said in a 2023 interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. "So those were the only conditions that I had was 'OK, I'm getting songwriting credit, right?' I was always assured that "Yes, I'm getting publishing [royalties] – of course you are!' When I didn't on [Bark at the Moon], it was upsetting. But I figured OK, what am I going to do?"
Lee realized that Ozzy could easily "find another guitar player," so quitting wouldn't help him. Instead, Lee insisted on a more detailed contract for the next record. And while Ozzy was in rehab, Lee got a drum machine, a bass and "more or less wrote entire songs," he said, per Destroyer of Harmony.
"I didn't write melodies or lyrics, because Ozzy is bound to do a lot of changing if I was to do that," he said. "I write the riff, and I'll come up with a chorus, verse, bridge and solo section, and I'll write the drum and bass parts I had in mind. I put about 12 songs like that down on tape, and when he got out of the Betty Ford clinic, it was, 'Here ya go, here's what I've got so far.' And I'd say half of it ended up on the album."
Lee wasn't the only one unhappy with Osbourne. Bassist Bob Daisley began working with Ozzy in 1979 and helped put together the band (Randy Rhoads, Lee Kerslake) that would play on Ozzy's debut. Daisley also wrote nearly all the lyrics on Ozzy's first albums, including hits like "Crazy Train," "Mr. Crowley," and "Flying High Again."
"I didn't just write lyrics," Daisley told Guitar Playerin 2025. "Randy and I used to sit in chairs opposite each other and work out all the music together. So it was the two of us doing that, working music out."
But clashes between Ozzy and his wife/manager, Sharon Osbourne, over credit and financial matters led to his dismissal after Bark at the Moon. But Ozzy and Sharon reached out to Daisley about writing lyrics for The Ultimate Sin. "I'd already written a lot of the music with Jake, so they knew they had to credit me on the songs anyway," he told Ultimate Classic Rock. "I guess [Osbourne] thought he may as well get his money's worth and asked me to come back and write the lyrics also. I did that as sort of a paid job."
Ozzy Osbourne, aka "The Prince of Darkness," poses for a portrait before his performance at the Joe Louis Arena, on April 4, 1986Photo by Icon and Image on Getty Images
Greg Chaisson was brought in as Daisley's replacement, but was soon fired; Phil Soussan ultimately played bass on The Ultimate Sin, his only appearance on an Ozzy album (however, he's known for co-writing the album's hit, "Shot in the Dark"). Randy Castillo played drums.
"I'm glad I didn't play on that one; I think it's Ozzy's worst album," Daisley said years after its release. "Even he didn't like it and referred to it as The Ultimate Din."
Blame it on the timing: metal and rock in the mid-1980s sounded and looked way different from what they did in the '70s. Hair and glam metal were taking over, and producer Ron Nevison was trying to make an Ozzy album that was relevant for the times. Riffology's 2024 reappraisal called it "Ozzy Osbourne's Glam Metal Triumph," which is either amazing or appalling, depending on your view of glam metal.
Producer Nevison also clashed with the band. "He told Sharon [Osbourne] that he wanted to start no later than noon," Lee told Guitar World. "I said, 'Noon? I'm not even thinking about waking up then. I won't start any earlier than 6 p.m.' So right off the bat, we had problems, and Nevison told Sharon, 'I know a lot of guitar players… we don't have to use him. We can use other people to come in and play the parts. I have all the demos.'"
Related: Andrew Watt Received Meaningful Gift from Jack Osbourne to Honor Ozzy at Grammys
Sharon, to her credit, told Nevison he was "out of his f—king mind" and defended Lee (she'd later admit to being a "mean bitch” to those who she dislikes, like replacing Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake's bass tracks replaced on the 2002 reissues of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman to "teach [them] a lesson"; she'd restore their performances on ensuing reissues).
'The Ultimate Sin' Was Still A Smash Success
The Ultimate Sin was recorded with a contentious producer, a lead vocalist fresh out of rehab, a disgruntled guitarist, and lyrics from an ousted bassist.
If it had been released in any other year but 1986, it might have been a bomb. But, at the time, heavy metal was the sound of the day, and even Ozzy's most mediocre output could be a best-seller. The Ultimate Sin reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was certified Platinum nearly two months after its release. The lead single, "Shot In The Dark," went to No. 68 on the Hot 100 and was a Top 10 hit on the Mainstream Rock chart.
Ozzy's dissatisfaction with the album led to personnel changes. He and Sharon fired Jake E. Lee and replaced him with Zakk Wylde. They brought back Bob Daisley on bass, kept Randy Castillo on drums, forming the core group that would carry Ozzy into the 90s—and his best-selling album, 1991's No More Tears.
'The Ultimate Sin's Legacy: 'Liberace Takes Acid'
Though Ozzy's disposition on The Ultimate Sin remained sour, the album did have a presence at Back to the Beginning, the final Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne show. Lzzy Hale sang "Ultimate Sin" as part of Tom Morello's All Stars, while David Draiman covered "Shot in the Dark."
However, it's unlikely that Ozzy changed his mind on the work before his death in July 2025.
"It's fair to say you can possibly find the worst song I've written on the Ultimate Sin album," Ozzy told Guitar Center, per Ultimate Classic Rock. "I don't think anyone goes into the studio with the intention of making a bad record, but it was like 'Liberace takes acid' at that point."
Related: Iconic ’80 Band Released an Album 35 Years Ago So ‘Horrible,’ They Broke Up
Hence then, the article about metal legend released his worst album 40 years ago one he disliked to his dying day was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Metal Legend Released His 'Worst' Album 40 Years Ago, One He Disliked to His Dying Day )
Also on site :
- Masonite International Corporation Sued for Securities Law Violations - Contact the DJS Law Group to Discuss Your Rights - DOOR
- Baftas 2026: Best moments at ceremony, from Timothee Chalamet’s very British snack to running Paul Mescal joke
- DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, partners with VC giant Granite Asia to counter the region’s lack of capital