Ozzy vs Dio

[DangerZone]

Which do you prefer?

I’m going with Ozzy.
I’ll say his part in Lita’s “close my eyes forever” might be his high water mark

[FreddyFender]

Love Dio, but his run both with Sabbath and solo pales to Ozzy's output.

Dio: 3 great Sabbath albums, two great solo albums. Some good stuff after, but its really for fans only.

Ozzy: Every Sabbath album from self titled through Sabotage and solo album up to NMT is essential. Some solo albums people like more than others, but he didn't release anything truly throwaway until Ozzmosis.

[risingfarce]

Dio. Not even close.

[Tommy2Tone84]

Ozzy and it’s not even close.

[GoodJudge]

Ozzy was a star, Dio was a satellite.

[El Vampiro Blanco]

Love Dio, but his run both with Sabbath and solo pales to Ozzy's output.

Dio: 3 great Sabbath albums, two great solo albums. Some good stuff after, but its really for fans only.

Ozzy: Every Sabbath album from self titled through Sabotage and solo album up to NMT is essential. Some solo albums people like more than others, but he didn't release anything truly throwaway until Ozzmosis.

I voted for Oz as well, for the first 6 Sabbath albums and his first two solo albums, but Dio's Rainbow albums need to be included in his list. Fantastic albums, just as good as his Sabbath albums.

[Wiseacre]

DIO was technically one of the best ever and probably THE best as far as gruff, growly vocals and a FAR better singer than OZZY, but Ozzy's voice worked so much better with Sabbath, IMO. Also, DIO's music all sounded very similar to me. I voted OZZY as a personal preference.

[Deege]

Dio was definitely the far more talented singer and also could play instruments and wrote his own songs.

Ozzy's voice had a bigger mass appeal, surrounded himself with great songwriters (and came up with great vocal melodies himself). I am a bigger Ozzy fan for sure. His work with Black Sabbath was incredibly groundbreaking. The Dio era of the band did some amazing stuff but it wasn't the same band by that point.

[NeonKnite]

There can be a difference between who you personally like and who you think was more influential or even subjectively "better".

I'm a much bigger fan of Dio's work than I am of Ozzy's in general, however I can't deny the massive influence Ozzy had with Sabbath and then with his solo career.

I would never say Dio is better than Ozzy. I would say I prefer Dio. I have a connection to Dio's work that is levels above Ozzy's work as much as I enjoy Ozzy's stuff.

[LillianRoxyFA]

I prefer the Sabbath material with Dio, but over all much prefer Ozzy's solo output.

[dmbrocker]

Both extremely worthy heavy metal legends, but Ozzy was the bigger of the two and had more classic songs, so I'm going with the Prince of Darkness.

[Psychobolia.com]

I went with Ozzy, more classic kickass songs and records than Dio...

[veritas]

Actually a tough call.... and they couldn't be more different.

I (vaguely) remember the glory years of 1980-81 when they released Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, Blizzard and Diary !

Because Dio is the better vocalist and can sing more things, I lean towards him: Rainbow Rising, Long Live Rock and N Roll, heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, Holy Diver and parts of Dehumanizer and Last in Line are fantastic too.

Much of Ozzy's Sabbath run was great and his first 2 solo albums are amazing. And then the drop off (for me) is huge .....

[Black Stuff]

Dio was a better singer, but Ozzy fit Sabbath better and basically WAS Sabbath

[JinglesTheChristmasMouse]

Dio.

[veritas]

Dio was a better singer, but Ozzy fit Sabbath better and basically WAS Sabbath

I can't go that far with you.
To do so would be to negate Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. Those 2 albums stand toe-to-toe (if not above) anything from Ozzy Sabbath.
I will say Sabbath was mostly Ozzy -- that's my limit.

[pieceofme]

Dio is the better singer. I like his stuff with Rainbow a lot. Solo and with Black Sabbath I only like a handful of songs at most.

I like Ozzy's stuff he did with Black Sabbath. Well, the first 6 albums and Dirty Women. Don't care for his solo material with the exception of a handful of songs.

Which one I prefer varies. Last year I was on big Rainbow kick. This year, more Sabbath.

Confusing poll because who you think is the better singer is not necessarily who you prefer.