Ok, I guess it's now a well known fact that Ozzy hates "The Ultimate Sin" album, but why try to act like it doesn't exist? Not only is there not any songs from that album on this cd, it's not even mentioned in the essay or the discography! This cd is called "The ESSENTIAL Ozzy Osbourne". Wasn't "Shot in the Dark" one of Ozzy's biggest hits? Regardless of how Ozzy feels about it, isn't that an all time fan favorite, and shouldn't it have been included here? Absolutely positively YES. However, I'm still giving the cd 4 stars for what IS on here. For the most part, the song selection is dead on. I always thought "Ozzmosis" was a very underrated album, but it's prominently featured here with 4 tracks. And they managed to pick the best songs from the rather weak "Down to Earth" album. Also, just to let the die hard fans know, the tracks from "Blizzard of Oz" and "Diary of a Mountain" are the newly remixed versions, not the originals. Personally, with a few exceptions, I can barely tell the difference, but I'm sure this will upset the purists. Overall, a great package for someone who doesn't want to shell out for all the original (and often uneven) albums.

THE BAND: Ozzy Osbourne's (vocals, harmonica) solo career started in 1980 and has had several line-up changes since... the main players being Randy Rhodes (guitar), Jake E. Lee (guitar), Zakk Wylde (guitar), Bob Daisley (bass), Rudy Sarzo (bass), Phil Soussan (bass), Geezer Butler (bass), Robert Trujillo (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Rick Wakeman (keyboards), Lee Kerslake (drums), Randy Castillo (drums), Deen Castronovo (drums), Mike Bordin (drums), Tommy Aldridge (drums).

THE DISC(S): (2003) In chronological order - 29 tracks on 2 discs clocking in at just over 147 minutes (disc-1 at 78:00 minutes, disc-2 at 69:24). Included with the discs is a 4-page front & back foldout containing a 2-page intro, all solo album cover artwork, Ozzy photos, song titles/credits/times, and what songs came from which albums. Digitally remastered sound. Label - Sony / Epic.

ALBUM REPRESENTATION: Blizzard Of Ozz (4 songs), Diary Of A Madman (3), Bark At The Moon (3), Tribute (2), No Rest For The Wicked (4), No More Tears (5), Live & Loud (1), Ozzmosis (4), Down To Earth (3).

COMMENTS: "Essential" is overall an extensive collection of Ozzy tunes, though it's not without weak spots (as most compilations are). The tracks here range from "Blizzard Of Ozz" (1980) through "Down To Earth" (2001). THE GOOD: The classic tunes are all here - "Crazy Train", "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Over The Mountain", "Flying High Again", "Bark At The Moon", "Crazy Babies", "Mama, I'm Coming Home", "No More Tears", "Time After Time", "Perry Mason", "Thunder Underground", "Gets Me Through", etc. There are several famed lesser 'hits' here that I'm glad to see they made the cut - "Fire In The Sky", "Suicide Solution", "Diary Of A Madman", "You're No Different", "Miracle Man", "Time After Time", and "No Easy Way Out". Guitarist Randy Rhodes is featured on 9 tracks here, Lee on 3, and Wylde on 17 (as mighty as Rhodes was with an axe, he only recorded two studio albums with Ozzy so I think the song distribution by guitarist here is fair). The remastering is crisp and the sound production for the most part is flawless. THE NOT SO GOOD: Several things are wrong here - nothing from "The Ultimate Sin" (no title track or "Shot In The Dark"), or "Live At Budokan" (2002)... there was room for one or two more tracks on disc-2. In my opinion, questionable omissions including "No Bone Movies", "You Can't Kill Rock & Roll", "Waiting For Darkness", "Devil's Daughter (Holy War)", "Demon Alcohol", "Hellraiser", and "Mr. Tinkertrain". Questionable inclusions in the sappy ballad "Goodbye To Romance", "Rock 'N Roll Rebel", "Desire", "Dreamer" and "Breakin' All The Rules". I prefer the studio version of "I Don't Know" over the live "Tribute" version (this live version should have been featured as a bonus track at the end of disc-2). The live Sabbath song "Paranoid" (though performed with Rhodes) just seems oddly out of place here. There was time at the end of disc-2 for additional tracks - why not surprise the listeners with a few oddballs like "Walk On Water" from the "Beavis & Butthead Do America" soundtrack (1996), or Ozzy's duet with Lita Ford "If I Close My Eyes Forever" (1989). The liner notes are surprisingly thin for an artist who's been around for over three decades. And lastly, I absolutely prefer the original tracks featuring the original players from the 1st three studio albums (Trujillo and Bordin simply can't do the originals justice... and I don't know what's worse - the sound of the remixed songs, or Ozzy & wife Sharon permitting it to happen). OVERALL: Stepping back though and looking at this as a whole... there's a plethora of great music here. There are several Ozzy (solo) compilations out there ("Best Of Ozz", "The Ozzman Cometh", "Ten Commandments", the "Prince Of Darkness" boxed set, etc.) and for the size and money, this "Essential" collection is the best one available. It's good to have so many highly regarded classic head-banging Ozzy tracks all in one place (4.5 stars).

My only complaint with this collection is that it is a little light on the early pre-Zakk Wylde stuff (which I prefer). For example, there is nothing from the excellent underrated live 'Speak of the Devil' (1982) (a collection of Black Sabbath songs with Brad Gillis (Night Ranger) on guitar, much better than ANY other interpretations on the Ozzy live records) and 'The Ultimate Sin' (1986). Also, let's face it - Randy Rhoads was his best guitarist, but the two tracks from 'Tribute' (1987) (and most of that record) is not very well-executed. Finally, where is the token new song?

I would have recommended with 5 stars if the complilation was the following (with "*" having been omitted on this collection):

Disk 1:

Disk 2:

That's right, no post-1983 record gets more than three songs because they are simply not as good as the first three studio records.

I usually never buy compliations, instead preferring to buy one or two CD's to get a feel for the artist. After all, by making a compliation, most fans are going to find at least two or three songs that they think should be on there. I didn't feel like forking over $24.00 for two CD's when "Essential Ozzy" was only $20.00, especially since Ozzy's career included three really good CD's as well as some mediocre albums that had some great songs, but were bogged down in terrible ones. This CD seemed like a logical choice, and it did not disappoint:

Disc One:

1. Crazy Train 10/10- Everybody's heard this song before, possibly the most influencial song Ozzy has ever written. The remastering makes this song sound great.

2. Mr. Crowley 10/10- Another masterpiece from "Blizzard," this one benefits from the remastering as well.

3. I Don't Know 9/10- Taken from the amazing live "Tribute" album, Ozzy was able to transform a mediocre song in the studio to an adreniline-pumping rocker live. Randy Rhoads is terrific.

4. Suicide Solution 6/10- Many old-time Ozzy fans consider this song right up there with "Crazy Train," but in reality it is nowhere near as good.

5. Goodbye to Romance 5/10- A ballad?! This is terrible, he should have stuck with straightforward metal for the entire album.

6. Over the Mountain 7/10- Has a really good, catchy riff, but Randy's solo is unremarkable.

7. Flying High Again 10/10- One of Ozzy's best songs and a personal favorite, this song was the pinnacle of the "Diary" album. Has a great riff and Randy's greatest solo ever, his neo-classical influence was sorely missed in Ozzy's later albums.

8. Diary of a Madman 9/10- Another Ozzy classic with a great perfomance by Rhoads. the only thing that keeps this from being a ten is the synthesized choir at the end, which sounds terrible and fake.

9. Paranoid 10/10- Another great live cut from the "Tribute" album, this might be even better than Sabbath's original version. Makes you wonder how Ozzy's later albums would have been if Randy was still alive.

10. Bark at the Moon 6/10- Jake E. Lee takes over as Ozzy's guitarist, but this song proves that he is no where near as good as the late Randy Rhoads. Receives a ton of airplay, even though this is just a by-the-numbers rocker.

11. You're No Different 4/10- I do not understand why there were three songs from the terrible "Bark at the Moon" album.

12. Rock n' Roll Rebel 3/10- See #11.

13. Crazy Babies 5/10- Fans and critics alike seem to love this song, but I cannot see why. There's nothing special here because Zakk Wylde did not develop into a great guitarist until the "No More Tears" album.

14. Miracle Man 6/10- Even though Zakk has not found his style yet, he is still a definite improvement over Jake E. Lee. Another song from the "No Rest for the Wicked" CD, where I cannot see why so many people love it.

15. Fire in the Sky 5/10- This song actually isn't that bad except that it drags on for too long.

16. Breakin' All the Rules 4/10- The obligatory rebellion song that Ozzy put on his 80's albums after "Diary." This song is average at best.

Disc 2:

1. Mama, I'm Coming Home 10/10- Ah, finally some cuts from Ozzy's best album. This was Ozzy's only song to reach the top 40, but is in no way a sellout. Great harmonious chorus.

2. Desire 4/10- The only reson that this was included was becuase it was released as a single, even though it went nowhere. A terrible song, should have been replaced by the amazing "Mr. Tinkertrain."

3. No More Tears 10/10- Ozzy's greatest song and one of my favorites of all time, is told through the mind of a serial killer. Great lyrics and riff, as well as a two minute inerlude that includes one of Zakk Wylde's greatest solos ever. If you have only heard the edited radio version, you are missing out on a lot.

4. Time After Time 8/10- Receives tremendous airplay even though it is only a decent ballad. Should have been replaced by "S.I.N." or "A.V.H."

5. Road to Nowhere 10/10- Insighful song is the best ballad that Ozzy has ever done. Great guitar work from Wylde.

6. I Don't Want To Change the World (Live) 10/10- This live song from the "Live & Loud" CD was so good that it won Ozzy his first and only Grammy.

7. Perry Mason 10/10- This is one of the heaviest songs that Ozzy has ever done. I hesitate to give it a ten because some of the guitar work was synthesized. Truthfully, I might not have discovered that had I not read it before, but it hurts the song. Also the lyrics are terrible.

8. I Just Want You 8/10- Better-than-average rocker-ballad, but nothing really special about it. Also hurting it is the fact that they brought in outside writer Jim Vallnce to help write it.

9. Thunder Underground 3/10- It seems the only reason that they included this was to create the illusion that "Ozzmosis" was not just filled with ballads. Heavy but pointless.

10. See You on the Other Side 9/10- One of Ozzy's best ballads, it is pretty straightforward but drags on and on at the end. If it had taken off the end where Ozzy repeats the chorus over and over again this would have gotten a ten.

11. Gets Me Through 10/10- One of the few great songs from "Down to Earth." Has a thunderous riff and a great solo, even though the solo lack the passion that Zakk's earlier ones have.

12. Dreamer 6/10- Sounds like it was taken from John Lennon's "Imagine" outtakes. Is nothing like Ozzy and unacceptable.

13. No Easy Way Out 10/10- Sure the lyrics are somewhat cliche, but has a great riff as well as one of the best solos by Wylde. I have to give some dap to the poeple who chose this song to put on the "Essential" album, because this was the best song off of the "Down To Earth" album, but it was never released as a single.

This album does a great job of cataloguing Ozzy's career. I have heard complaints that there was nothing from "Ultimate Sin," but that was Ozzy's worst album. After buying this album, buy "No More Tears" because there were several good songs on there left off on this album. Also get "Tribute" for the entire album; it is the best live album ever made. If you like live albums get "Live and Loud" for the great performance of Ozzy's entire band as well as great renditions of most of Ozzy's songs.

First of all I'd like to mention that if you have an opinion POST IT ONCE; 5 reviews stating the same thing don't help viewers much

...Now, to the CD itself. Ozzy Osbourne is a great artist with a multitude of great songs so it's obvious he can't fit them all on this CD. The tracklist itself is pretty good. The only truly great songs missing are Shot in the Dark, You Can't Kill Rock'n'Roll, Revelation Mother Earth, and Bloodbath in Paradise. And I must say I enjoy them all but they're not that good to start a riot over their missing, as many reviewers here undoubtedly have. The CD itself includes Ozzy's greatest from all his CDs including Crazy Train, Mr Crowley, Bark at the Moon, and No More Tears. Yes it does have its cons. The songs form his first 2 CDs are rerecorded but they don't sound that bad. If you're a diehard fan complaining about this, what are you doing here anyway? I would think a greatest hits CD is meant to get people into the artist and Ozzy succeeded with me indeed as I have now bought most of his CDS.