"Black Sabbath," the eponymous debut studio album by the English heavy metal band of the same name, made its mark on the music world upon its release on February 13, 1970, by Vertigo Records in the United Kingdom and on June 1, 1970, by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. Widely acknowledged as the inaugural true heavy metal album, it heralded the emergence of a new musical genre, with its opening track, "Black Sabbath," often cited as the first doom metal song.
 
Initial critical reception for "Black Sabbath" was largely negative, but its commercial success spoke volumes. It reached number eight on the UK Albums Charts and number 23 on the US Billboard Top LPs chart. Over time, however, the album has undergone a significant reappraisal, earning retrospective acclaim as one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time.
 
In fact, "Black Sabbath" is included in Robert Dimery's esteemed 2005 musical reference book, "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die," solidifying its place in the pantheon of essential music recordings.