Judas Priest earns its highest-charting single ever in the U.K. as its collaboration with Ozzy Osbourne on a new version of “War Pigs” debuts inside the top 20. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) Ian Hill, Glenn Tipton, Scott Travis, Rob Halford, and Richie Faulkner of Judas Priest attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Judas Priest is back with a new bestselling hit song in the United Kingdom this week. The heavy metal icons return not with an entirely original composition, but instead, with a tune that longtime lovers of the genre will know well.
The group has unleashed its version of the Black Sabbath classic “War Pigs,” which is now available as a collaboration with the late, great Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on July 22. The combination of the two beloved acts proved to be enough to not only bring them both back to the charts, but also to help the band hit higher than ever before.
Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne’s “War Pigs” Becomes a Bestseller
The new collaborative version of “War Pigs” debuts at No. 15 on the Official Singles Downloads chart. At the same time, it also starts at No. 17 on the Official Singles Sales ranking, which combines both digital and physical purchases. Those positions represent career highs for Judas Priest on the two tallies.
A Look Back at Judas Priest’s U.K. Chart History
Judas Priest has now collected just a pair hits on the Official Singles Downloads chart, and one more on the Official Singles Sales list. The band first appeared on the tallies in October 2023, when “Panic Attack” debuted and peaked at No. 81 on the downloads roster. That same track also launched at No. 85 on the Official Singles Sales chart.
In March 2024, “Invincible Shield” spent one week at No. 25 on the latter chart, but it didn’t make it to the ranking of the most-downloaded cuts in the U.K.
How “War Pigs” Compares to Other Major Debuts
On the Official Singles Downloads chart, Judas Priest and Osbourne score the second-loftiest debut this frame. The two acts land behind “Stay (If You Want to Dance)” by Myles Smith, which launches at No. 5.
On the Official Singles Sales chart, “War Pigs” ranks as the third-highest new arrival of the week. “Stay (If You Want to Dance)” kicks off its time at No. 6, while the biggest new tune is “Friday I’m in Love,” a cover of The Cure classic by Olivia Rodrigo and the band’s frontman Robert Smith. That tune, which went viral after the two performed it at the Glastonbury music festival this summer, opens at No. 5.
“War Pigs” Adds to Ozzy Osbourne’s Legacy
Osbourne has collected many more hits than Judas Priest on both the Official Singles Sales and Official Singles Downloads charts. As a soloist, the rock legend has earned six top 40 hits on each tally, including this latest collaboration. His career total grew significantly following his final concert, which was held in Birmingham, England, in July, and then again after his death, just a short time later.
“War Pigs” Became a Smash Only Recently
Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” reached the Official Singles chart, the U.K.’s main ranking of the most consumed songs, for the first time in late July. Amidst a time of reflecting on Osbourne’s career – both solo and with Black Sabbath – the cut climbed all the way to No. 47. Around the same time, it also broke into the top 40 on both the Official Singles Sales and Official Singles Downloads rosters.
The History of “War Pigs,” a Black Sabbath Classic
“War Pigs” was released in September 1970 on Black Sabbath’s sophomore album Paranoid. While the track has become a standout in the heavy metal pioneers’ catalog, it was never pushed as a single. The full-length instead produced “Paranoid” and “Iron Man” as promotional cuts, and both of them went on to become genre-defining hits.
Judas Priest Honors Ozzy Osbourne
Judas Priest has used “War Pigs” as entrance music for more than a decade during live shows, so this collaborative take is a perfect fit. Following Osbourne’s passing, the duet serves as a powerful tribute to one of the genre’s founding figures, while also celebrating the power and popularity legacy of both acts.