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Black Sabbath’s Chart Positions
We’ve looked at sales numbers, and, frankly, I’ve always put more faith in those than in chart positions as far as providing an accurate picture of an album’s standing. Still, SoundScan and RIAA designations are an imperfect system for gauging success for a number of pretty big reasons, biggest being that idea that for noncertified albums, SoundScan only counts sales since 1991. An additional area that system weakens a bit on is timing and rapidity of success, and that’s where a look at chart positions can add to our understanding of success and relative success. Anyway, here’s a little look-see at chart positions of the Sabbath albums as well as selected attendant singles, just to help you get a sense of how the two work in tandem, what worked and what didn’t. These are Billboard numbers, of course, Billboard being the industry standard for such analysis, and the number indicated is highest position achieved.
Black Sabbath
U.S.: #23; UK: #8. The album stayed on the U.S. charts for over a year, gathering new life after the release of Paranoid later the same year. The album’s lead single, a cover of Crow’s “Evil Woman,” was not included on the U.S. issue of the album, and back home in the UK, it failed to chart. In the UK, the album opened at #25 in February, dropped to #31, rose to #9 in April, dropped all the way to #29 by the end of the month but then made its rise to #8 by mid-May.
Paranoid
U.S.: #12; UK: #1. In the UK, the album opened at #27, rose to #1 in the third week, and left the charts after dropping to #63 twenty-two weeks later. Additionally, it is known that the album hit #5 in Norway. The title track hit #61 in the U.S., #4 in the UK (spending eighteen weeks on the charts, rising from an opening position of #47), and #1 in Germany, underscoring the band’s run of success built on the backs of their early Hamburg gigs (at which much of the band’s early material was also written and road-tested). Elsewhere around Europe, Paranoid hit #9 in Italy, #3 in Austria, and #2 in the Netherlands. Second single “Iron Man” peaked at #52 in the U.S., but not until 1972.
Master of Reality
U.S.: #8; UK: #5. Note the slow reversal of UK and U.S. positions taking place, which very well could reflect this trend of Sabbath and other big UK bands “abandoning” home base for extended tours, and indeed recording sessions in the U.S. as UK rockers tried to avoid high British tax levels, becoming “tax exiles.” In the UK, the album opened at #14, rising to #5, and stayed on the charts for thirteen weeks before bowing out at #49. The album hit #5 in Germany and #12 in Norway as well.
Vol 4
U.S.: #13; UK: #8. In the UK, the album opened at #19, rose to #8, and left the charts after dropping to #48 ten weeks later. “Tomorrow’s Dream” was launched as a single, but it failed to chart. Norway rewarded the album with a #7 placement.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
U.S.: #11; UK: #4. The album lasted at #4 for two weeks in the UK and dropped out at #44 eleven weeks later. The album also reached #6 in Norway and #49 in Germany.
Sabotage
U.S.: #28; UK: #7. The album also hit #6 in Norway, #9 in Austria, and #33 in New Zealand, Sabbath having been one of the few bands of that era to establish roots down under quite early in their career. On the UK charts, the album opened at #7, dropping out of the charts at #43 seven weeks later.
Technical Ecstasy
U.S.: #51; UK: #13. The album opened at #13 on the UK charts, stuck there for an extra week, and then dropped out at #60 six weeks later. Note the big drop-off in America, which began with Sabotage and continued with Never Say Die.
Never Say Die
U.S.: #69; UK: #12. Single “Never Say Die” reached #21 in the UK charts, lasting eight weeks on the charts over June/July of ’78 after a slow rise, while “A Hard Road,” launched in October, peaked at #33, spending a total of four weeks on the charts (this is the same year that a reissue of “Paranoid” hit #14). In the UK, the album opened at #14, rose to #12, and then dropped out within six weeks at #49. Never Say Die also hit #37 on the Swedish charts.
Heaven and Hell
U.S.: #28; UK: #9. “Neon Knights” rose to #22 and spent nine weeks on the UK singles chart (#17 in the U.S. but on subchart “U.S. Mainstream Rock”), while “Die Young” peaked at #41 in the UK, spending seven weeks on the chart. The album entered the UK charts at #29, rose to #9, and fell out at #72 twenty-two weeks later. Huge upswing for the band, particularly in North America, where the band’s high ranking would carry right through to Born Again, an album that is anything but easy on the ears.
Mob Rules
U.S.: #29; UK: #12. The album opened at #12 in the UK, spending the next thirteen weeks descending to #98 before dropping out. “The Mob Rules” hit #46 as a UK single, spending four weeks on the charts, with “Turn Up the Night” rising to #37 in the UK, lasting five weeks on the charts. “Turn Up the Night” also hit #24 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart, while “Voodoo” managed #46 on the same chart. The album reached #45 in New Zealand.
Live Evil
U.S.: #37; UK: #13. Additionally the album went to #15 in Sweden and #34 in New Zealand. In the UK, the album entered at #13, and dropped out at #90 eleven weeks later. Finally, the album went to #15 in Sweden and #34 in New Zealand.
Born Again
U.S.: #39; UK: #4. In the UK, the album opened at #4 and then dropped like a rock over the course of seven weeks, leaving at #99. Additionally, the album went to #7 in Sweden and #44 in New Zealand. One would have to surmise that Born Again entering the UK charts at a hot #4 had to do with Ian’s joining the band, a circumstance that merged two of the Britain’s mightiest rock institutions. Conversely, it’s always been said that Purple never quite took hold in America the way it did in much of the rest of the world.
Seventh Star
U.S.: #78; UK: #27. The album stayed on the U.S. charts for eleven weeks and on the UK charts for five weeks. Seventh Star also hit #11 in Sweden. At this point, Sabbath were obviously on their way right off the map when it came to U.S. interest.
The Eternal Idol
U.S.: #168; UK: #66. The album stayed on the U.S. charts for six weeks, but on the UK charts for only one.
Headless Cross
U.S.: #115; UK: #31. The album stayed on the U.S. charts for eight weeks. The title track hit #62 as a UK single, staying in the charts for two weeks. In the UK, the album entered at #31, leaving two weeks later at #53. The album also charted at #22 in Sweden and #23 in Switzerland.
Tyr
U.S.: # n/a; UK: #24. In the UK, Tyr entered at #24 and slipped out three weeks later at #52; it failed to chart at all in the U.S. As well, the album charted at #12 in Germany, and #24 in Sweden, Austria, and Switzerland. Much discussed is the band’s brief renaissance in Germany with Headless Cross, a circumstance that would have had an echo effect on the band’s fortunes on home turf. Ergo both that album and Tyr did quite well in the UK, although the stays up the charts were quite brief.
Dehumanizer
U.S.: #44; UK: #28. The album stayed on the U.S. charts for eight weeks, due to a huge press push, the Wayne’s World tie-in, and the fact that this lineup—half American—did good business last time around. “TV Crimes” hit #33 as a UK single, but the album slipped out of the charts after two short weeks (same length of time as the single, actually) at #54, a huge disappointment given the expense of making the record, mostly in Germany. As well, the album charted at #7 in Austria, #12 in Sweden, #13 in Switzerland, and #14 in Germany. “TV Crimes” is the band’s last single ever to chart in the UK.
Cross Purposes
U.S.: #122; UK: #41. The album stayed on the U.S. charts for two weeks, and in the UK for but one. Additionally, the album charted at #41 in Switzerland and #32 in Germany.
Forbidden
U.S.: # n/a; UK: #71. On and off the UK charts in a single week, the album failed to chart stateside. As well, Forbidden charted at #35 in Germany and #48 in Switzerland.
The Devil You Know
U.S.: # 8; UK: #21. The Devil You Know entered the UK charts at #21 and left three weeks later at #71. In the U.S., its #8 placement was achieved with sales of only thirty thousand albums, reflecting the new sales climate in the age of downloading. The album also charted at #5 in Finland, #8 in Sweden, #17 in Germany, #37 in Austria, #53 in France, #84 in Belgium, #31 in Switzerland, and #20 in Poland. Again, it’s interesting to see the band do best in America, but, as we’ve discussed, this version of Sabbath is exactly half American, with a proven track record in the American market, one that promised to be toured heavily—promise fulfilled.
Miscellaneous Releases
We Sold Our Soul for Rock ’n’ Roll peaked at #35 in the UK.
Exploitation archival live album Live at Last rose to a surprising #5 in the UK.
Cross Purposes Live, not issued in North America, nonetheless did not chart in the UK.
Reunion rose to #11 on the U.S. charts, sticking around for eighteen weeks, while in the UK it peaked at #41, also achieving #5 in Canada, #11 in Sweden, #40 in Germany, and #65 in France.
Past Lives nipped onto the U.S. chart at #114, falling off after one week.
Black Box—granted, a massive box set—failed to chart.
Greatest Hits 1970–1978 hit #96 on the U.S. charts and stuck around for ten weeks.
The Dio Years rose to #54 on the U.S. charts, lasting nine weeks.
Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell—Live in Europe is an album for which I have no figures. This book went to production just as it was issued.
Not much thought was put into the cover art for what would be, at its most charitable description, a semiofficial issue of a Sabbath live set.