BY THE NUMBERS: ‘Black Sabbath’
Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut album was released in the U.K. on this day in 1970. To many, it’s considered the birth of heavy metal, and those “many” aren’t wrong.
No one had sounded quite like Sabbath, and in over four decades, no one else has sounded quite like them since. (We can likely thank Tony Iommi losing the tips of his fingers in a freak accident at a sheet metal factory for that.)
In honor of its anniversary, here’s a “By The Numbers” look at the album.
Age: 48
Months after U.K. release for album to come to the U.S.: 3.5
Tracks: 7 (“Black Sabbath,” “The Wizard,” “Behind The Wall Of Sleep,” “N.I.B.,” “Evil Woman,” “Sleeping Village” and “Warning”)
Copies Sold: Over 1 Million in the U.S.
Years it took for the album to be certified Platinum: 16 (Certified on October 13, 1986.)
Hours it took to record: 12 (Yes, you read that correctly.)
Months between Sabbath’s next album, Paranoid: 7
Time it took to say “Whoa…” upon looking at the album’s eerie cover for the first time: 5 seconds
Erica Banas is a rock/classic rock blogger that loves the smell of old vinyl in the morning.
