Timeline Black Sabbath: Paranoid

Four lads from Birmingham who invented heavy metal — Black Sabbath from Earth to Back to the Beginning.

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Dashed left edge = started before this timeline · Dashed right edge = still ongoing

Black Sabbath: Paranoid 16

1968 Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham as Earth Aston Iommi, Osbourne, Butler and Ward start as a blues band.
1969 Earth become Black Sabbath Horror film Renamed after a Boris Karloff horror film.
1970 Black Sabbath releases its debut album The self-titled album from Birmingham, released on Friday the 13th, is often seen as the first heavy metal record.
1970 Black Sabbath release Paranoid War Pigs and Iron Man Their best-known album, a UK number one.
1971 Black Sabbath release Master of Reality Down-tuned guitars A heavier, down-tuned sound that shapes doom and stoner metal.
1972 Black Sabbath release Vol. 4 Recorded in Los Angeles With Changes and Supernaut.
1973 Black Sabbath release Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Progressive turn With Rick Wakeman on keyboards.
1979 Black Sabbath fire Ozzy Osbourne Singer out Ozzy is fired and starts a solo career.
1980 Black Sabbath release Heaven and Hell Ronnie James Dio A comeback with new singer Ronnie James Dio.
1985 Black Sabbath reunite at Live Aid Philadelphia The original four play together for the first time in years.
1997 Black Sabbath reunite at Ozzfest Original line-up The original line-up returns.
2006 Black Sabbath inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Hall of Fame Inducted by Metallica.
2013 Black Sabbath release 13 Number one Their first UK number one album since 1970.
2017 Black Sabbath play their last tour show The End, Birmingham The final show of The End tour in their home town.
2025 Black Sabbath's farewell concert Back to the Beginning Villa Park A last reunion of the original four in Birmingham.
2025 Black Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne dies Aged 76 Dies weeks after the farewell concert.