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Never Say Die!

Updated: 12/11/2025, 10:46:14 AM Wikipedia source

Never Say Die! is the eighth studio album by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released on 29 September 1978. It was the last studio album with the band's original line-up and the last studio album to feature original vocalist Ozzy Osbourne until the 2013 album 13. It was certified Gold in the U.S. on 7 November 1997 and as of November 2011 has sold 133,000 copies in the United States since the SoundScan era. The album received mixed reviews, with critics calling it "unbalanced" and insisting its energy was scattered in too many directions.

Infobox

Released
29 September 1978
Recorded
1978
Studio
Sounds Interchange (Toronto)
Genre
Heavy metalhard rockpop rock
Length
45:41
Label
Vertigo
Producer
Black Sabbath

Tables

Professional ratings · Release and critical reception
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
The Great Rock Discography
The Great Rock Discography
Review scores
The Great Rock Discography
Review scores
5/10
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
Spin Alternative Record Guide
Spin Alternative Record Guide
Review scores
Spin Alternative Record Guide
Review scores
7/10
Review scores
Source
Rating
AllMusic
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Great Rock Discography
5/10
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Spin Alternative Record Guide
7/10
· Charts
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Chart (1978)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Peakposition
90
French Albums (SNEP)
French Albums (SNEP)
Chart (1978)
French Albums (SNEP)
Peakposition
33
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Chart (1978)
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Peakposition
37
UK Albums (OCC)
UK Albums (OCC)
Chart (1978)
UK Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
12
US Billboard 200
US Billboard 200
Chart (1978)
US Billboard 200
Peakposition
69
Chart (1978)
Peakposition
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
90
French Albums (SNEP)
33
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
37
UK Albums (OCC)
12
US Billboard 200
69
· Charts
Scottish Albums (OCC)
Scottish Albums (OCC)
Chart (2023)
Scottish Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
84
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
Chart (2023)
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
20
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Chart (2023)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
9
Chart (2023)
Peakposition
Scottish Albums (OCC)
84
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
20
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
9
· Certifications
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Region
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Region
Certification
Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)
Gold
500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. Track 4 is titled "Hard Road" on the releases by Vertigo (the UK and Europe) and "A Hard Road" on releases by Warner (Un
  2. Recording Industry Association of America
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  3. The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World
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  4. "Black Sabbath - Never Say Die!"
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  5. "Ranking: Every Black Sabbath Album from Worst to Best"
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  6. "Music Week"
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  7. The Great Rock Discography
    https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/68/mode/2up
  8. "American album certifications – Black Sabbath – Never Say Die"
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  18. gilmourdesign.co.uk
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  20. Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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  22. Rolling Stone
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  23. Spin Alternative Record Guide
  24. "Never Say Die!: Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
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  25. Uncut Ultimate Music Guide Series
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  28. Iron Maiden: run to the hills : the official biography
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  29. "Soundgarden's Kim Thayil Picks His Favourite Black Sabbath Song"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120625000247/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/soundgardens-kim-thayil-picks-his-favourite-black-sabbath-song/
  30. "Andy LaRocque interview"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202701/http://www.kkdowning.net/Interviews/larocque.htm
  31. www.songfacts.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20250123040123/https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/andy-larocque-of-king-diamond
  32. Consequence of Sound
    https://consequence.net/2017/03/ranking-every-black-sabbath-album-from-worst-to-best/full-post/
  33. Kerrang!
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  34. Ultimate Classic Rock
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  37. Metal Edge
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  38. Never Say Die
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  39. "A 1978 Black Sabbath/Ramones gig was promoted as 'Punk Rock vs Heavy Metal': It got ugly and dangerously out of control"
    https://www.loudersound.com/features/a-1978-black-sabbathramones-gig-was-promoted-as-punk-rock-vs-heavy-metal-it-got-ugly-and-dangerously-out-of-control
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  42. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0062b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
    https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0062b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0062b.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0062b
  43. Infodisc.fr
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141022124902/http://infodisc.fr/Album_B.php
  44. "Swedishcharts.com – Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
    https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Never+Say+Die!&cat=a
  45. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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  46. "Black Sabbath Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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  47. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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  48. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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  49. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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  50. "American album certifications – Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!"
    https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Black+Sabbath&ti=Never+Say+Die%21&format=Album&type=#search_section
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