Ronnie James Dio’s five favourite rock songs
Ronnie James Dio named five of his favourite rock songs in a 2009 interview, choosing tracks that span heavy metal, hard rock and grunge. His selection included ‘War Pigs’ by his former band Black Sabbath, despite his departure from the group amid creative differences.
Dio praised ‘War Pigs’ for its anti-war lyrics and musical construction, and called Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke On The Water’ one of the greatest songs of all time. His other choices were Judas Priest’s ‘Nostradamus’, Soundgarden’s ‘Spoonman’ and Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’; together, they show his appreciation for distinctive songwriting and powerful riffs across generations.
- Dio chose five favourite rock songs in a 2009 interview.
- His picks included Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Metallica.
- He admired bold songwriting and memorable riffs.
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Ronnie James Dio was a singer known for his work in heavy metal, including with Black Sabbath, Rainbow and his own band, Dio. Black Sabbath helped shape heavy metal, a style built around forceful guitar riffs and powerful vocals.
Dio left Black Sabbath in the late 1970s after disagreements over the band’s direction, but his choices included one of its best-known songs, ‘War Pigs’. Its lyrics criticise war and the political leaders who send others to fight.
His other picks came from Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Soundgarden and Metallica. The choices span several decades and show how hard rock and metal developed through bands with different sounds and approaches to songwriting.