“Liberace takes acid”: the 4,000,000-selling album Ozzy Osbourne said had his “worst songs”
Ozzy Osbourne criticised his 1986 album *The Ultimate Sin*, saying it included some of the worst songs he had written. His comments reflected his dissatisfaction with its lavish production and songwriting, despite the record’s commercial success.
The album sold four million copies and featured guitarist Jake E. Lee, who had taken over after Randy Rhoads’s death. Osbourne singled out “Shot in the Dark” as falling short of earlier work such as “Mr Crowley”, while “Killer of Giants” was described as a stronger, darker moment.
- Osbourne called *The Ultimate Sin* one of his weakest albums.
- The record sold four million copies.
- “Killer of Giants” stood out among its softer tracks.
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Ozzy Osbourne was a British singer who first became known as the frontman of Black Sabbath, then built a solo career after leaving the band. His early solo albums, including Blizzard of Ozz, helped establish the heavy metal sound associated with his name.
The Ultimate Sin was released in 1986, with guitarist Jake E. Lee playing on the album after Randy Rhoads died in 1982. It sold four million copies, showing that it reached a large audience even as Osbourne later criticised its songs and polished production.
The album sits between Osbourne’s earlier solo work and the changing sound of 1980s heavy metal. Its mix of commercial success and his own misgivings offers context for how artists can view a record differently from the listeners who buy it.
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The case for
Osbourne’s criticism can be understood as an artist judging the album by its songwriting and sound rather than its sales. He felt the lavish production and some weaker songs fell short of the standard set by earlier work, and his reservations about “Shot in the Dark” reflect that artistic judgement.
The case against
The album’s commercial success suggests that many listeners found its polished sound and songs compelling, even if Osbourne later disliked them. Jake E. Lee’s contribution and tracks such as “Killer of Giants” also give fans reason to see the record as a worthwhile part of Osbourne’s catalogue, rather than defining it by his criticism of some songs.