Black Sabbath

Year:
2006
Inducted by:
Lars Ulrich & James Hetfield (Metallica)
Category:
Performers

Geezer (Terry) Butler
Tony Iommi
Ozzy Osbourne
Bill Ward

Introduction

Black Sabbath delivered heavy metal into the world, kicking and screaming.

The diverse influences of each member alchemized into something else entirely: relentless hard rock that deal with the dark and demonic, a reflection of the slow creep of disillusionment with the social climate.

Members of Metallica Induct Black Sabbath

Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield of Metallica Induct Black Sabbath at the 2006 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Members of Metallica Induct Black Sabbath

00:09:36
Black Sabbath Acceptance Speech

00:02:34
"Iron Man"

00:05:31

Hall of Fame Essay

2006

Deborah Frost

Black Sabbath never intended to appeal to, never mind be understood by, rock critics.

Nor were they designed for screaming teens, swooning debs, your mom, industry suits, or anyone else who eventually embraced prior demonstrations of peculiarly British loutdom as rendered by the Stones, say, or Zeppelin.

There was nothing remotely cute or cuddly about Black Sabbath (Ozzy’s recent incarnation notwithstanding). Black Sabbath simply oozed upon us, unfestooned by any pretense of art, peace, love, understanding, or mushroom embroidery, and immediately defined heavy metal with no less certainty, fortitude, or foofaraw than that betwixt the chicken and the egg.