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Diary of a Madman (album)

Updated: 12/10/2025, 5:22:31 PM Wikipedia source

Diary of a Madman is the second studio album by the English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne, released in October 1981. This is the last Osbourne studio album to feature guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake. An altered version appeared in 2002 with the original bass and drum parts removed and re-recorded. In 2011, a Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition was released with all original parts restored. To date, the album has sold over three million copies worldwide. Diary of a Madman was supported by the Diary of a Madman Tour, which began on November 5, 1981, and ended August 8, 1982, spanning Europe, North America, and Asia. On March 19, 1982, during the North American leg of the tour, Rhoads died in a plane crash in Leesburg, Florida; after a two-week break, the tour continued with guitarist Bernie Tormé performing several shows in place of Rhoads before in turn being replaced by Brad Gillis.

Infobox

Released
October 1981 (1981-10)
Recorded
1981
Studio
Ridge Farm Studio, Rusper, England
Genre
Heavy metal
Length
43:19
Label
Jet
Producer
Max Norman Ozzy Osbourne Randy Rhoads Bob Daisley

Tables

Professional ratings · Reception
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
MusicHound Rock
MusicHound Rock
Review scores
MusicHound Rock
Review scores
Martin Popoff
Martin Popoff
Review scores
Martin Popoff
Review scores
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Review scores
Rolling Stone
Review scores
Review scores
Source
Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound Rock
Martin Popoff
Rolling Stone
· Charts
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Chart (1981–1982)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Peakposition
17
UK Albums (OCC)
UK Albums (OCC)
Chart (1981–1982)
UK Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
14
US Billboard 200
US Billboard 200
Chart (1981–1982)
US Billboard 200
Peakposition
16
Chart (1981–1982)
Peakposition
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
17
UK Albums (OCC)
14
US Billboard 200
16
· Charts
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
Chart (1986)
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
Peakposition
42
Chart (1986)
Peakposition
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
42
· Charts
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Chart (2011)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
11
Chart (2011)
Peakposition
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
11
· Charts
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Chart (2021)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
24
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)
Chart (2021)
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)
Peakposition
3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)
Chart (2021)
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)
Peakposition
9
Chart (2021)
Peakposition
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
24
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)
3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)
9
· Certifications
Canada (Music Canada)
Canada (Music Canada)
Region
Canada (Music Canada)
Certification
Platinum
Certified units/sales
100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)
United Kingdom (BPI)
Region
United Kingdom (BPI)
Certification
Silver
Certified units/sales
60,000‡
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
3× Platinum
Certified units/sales
3,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
Certification
Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)
Platinum
100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)
Silver
60,000‡
United States (RIAA)
3× Platinum
3,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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    https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/610/mode/2up
  2. "Music Week"
    https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1981/Music-Week-1981-10-17.pdf
  3. "Ozzy Osbourne singles"
    https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Ozzy+Osbourne&titel=Over+The+Mountain&cat=s
  4. Recording Industry Association of America
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070626174049/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php
  5. Blabbermouth.net
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  6. "Lee Kerslake - A Steel Mill Interview"
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  7. "The Fuze interviews Lee Kerslake"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141021030053/http://www.bobdaisley.com/interview/fuse-lee-kerslake
  8. "Heaven And Hell (Part 1) - Bob Daisley Reflects On A Career That Has Seen The Veteran Bassist Playing Alongside Some Of Rock's Legends"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20051204233821/http://www.rockdetector.com/interviews/artist%2C43134.sm?id=65
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    http://www.gettyimages.it/detail/fotografie-di-cronaca/photo-of-louis-osbourne-and-ozzy-osbourne-with-fotografie-di-cronaca/85000219
  10. AllMusic
    http://www.allmusic.com/album/diary-of-a-madman-mw0000191217
  11. The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties
  12. Diary of a Madman
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070205085458/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ozzyosbourne/albums/album/192271/review/6211330/diary_of_a_madman
  13. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
  14. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
    https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612
  15. Thal, Ron
    http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/guns-n-roses-bumblefoot-reviews-ozzy-osbourne-blizzard-of-ozz-diary-of-a-madman-reissues-449536
  16. BBC Music
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/h3gb/
  17. Rolling Stone LLC
    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-metal-albums-of-all-time-w486923/anthrax-among-the-living-1987-w486946?
  18. "News – Federal Appeals Court: Ozzy Does Not Owe Royalties"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140724062427/http://knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=2558
  19. PopMatters
    https://www.popmatters.com/review/osbourneozzy-blizzard/
  20. I Am Ozzy
    https://archive.org/details/iamozzy0000osbo
  21. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Ozzy-Osbourne-Blizzard-Of-Ozz-1400246.php
  22. Blabbermouth.net
    http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ozzy-osbourne-s-landmark-blizzard-and-diary-solo-albums-to-be-reissued-in-may/
  23. "14 Things You Might Not Know About Ozzy's Diary of a Madman"
    https://www.iheart.com/content/2017-11-07-14-things-you-might-not-know-about-ozzys-diary-of-a-madman/
  24. "Max Norman Interview – Legendary Producer on Ozzy Osbourne Albums"
    http://musiclegends.ca/interviews/max-norman-interview/
  25. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0443". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
    https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0443&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0443.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0443
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    https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19811108/7502/
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    https://www.billboard.com/artist/Ozzy-Osbourne/chart-history/TLP
  28. "Charts.nz – Ozzy Osbourne – Diary of a Madman". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
    https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Ozzy+Osbourne&titel=Diary+of+a+Madman&cat=a
  29. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
    https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/20110605/112/
  30. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
    https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/20211203/112/
  31. "Ozzy Osbourne Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
    https://www.billboard.com/artist/Ozzy-Osbourne/chart-history/MTL
  32. "Ozzy Osbourne Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
    https://www.billboard.com/artist/Ozzy-Osbourne/chart-history/RCK
  33. "Canadian album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Diary of a Madman"
    https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Diary+of+a+Madman%20Ozzy+Osbourne
  34. "British album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Diary of a Madman"
    https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/20645-1252-2
  35. "American album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – Diary of a Madman"
    https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Ozzy+Osbourne&ti=Diary+of+a+Madman&format=Album&type=#search_section
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