Black Sabbath Icon Tony Iommi Confirms Third Solo Album for 2026 Release

Legendary guitarist and co-founder of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi, has officially confirmed that his third solo studio album is slated for release in 2026. This forthcoming record marks his first full-length solo effort in over two decades, following his previous solo works, Iommi (released in 2000) and Fused (2005).

Iommi made the announcement during his New Year's video address, where he reflected on the events of 2025. The guitarist emphasized the certainty of the release date, stating it would happen “definitely, definitely,” leaving no room for doubt or postponement. This firm commitment carries significant weight, given that Iommi’s distinctive guitar playing has defined an entire genre for decades.

From Instrumental Concept to Vocal Collaboration

Initially, the material for the new album was conceived as an instrumental project. However, as the creative process unfolded, Iommi felt a strong necessity for the human element within the music. Consequently, the album will feature vocal contributions performed by a single, as-yet-unnamed artist. This structure brings the listener back to the core dynamic: the guitar serving as the central axis, with the voice acting as its reflection, free from unnecessary embellishment or disguise.

2025: A Year That Wove Together History

The unveiling of the new solo album follows a string of pivotal events that characterized 2025 for Iommi and the legacy of Black Sabbath:

• The reissue campaign for the Black Sabbath albums from the Tony Martin era, including the remastered version of The Eternal Idol, which saw release on July 25, 2025.
• Iommi’s guest appearance on Robbie Williams’ single, Rocket, where he contributed his signature guitar solo—a relatively rare foray for him into the single format.
• The monumental charity concert, Back to the Beginning, held on July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham. This event marked the first reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineup—Ozzy Osbourne, Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—in twenty years. The concert drew an audience of 45,000 and successfully raised approximately £140 million for charitable causes.

Tom Morello, who served as the musical director for the show, lauded the performance, calling it “the greatest heavy metal show ever staged.”

The Silence Following the Applause

The triumph of the reunion was soon tempered by profound loss. On July 22, 2025, just seventeen days after the concert, Ozzy Osbourne passed away. Almost symbolically, shortly before this event, all four founding members of Black Sabbath were jointly awarded the Freedom of the City in Birmingham, their hometown’s highest civic honor. Iommi shared that this particular recognition was an accolade he had never anticipated receiving.

2026: Music and Remembrance

The beginning of 2026 will also feature the theatrical release of the concert film, Back to the Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow, which captures the essence of the reunion and the era's concluding curtain call. Alongside the documentary Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape from Now, these cinematic projects frame a period of farewell and, concurrently, a transition into the next phase.

Tony Iommi’s upcoming album is not intended as a mere comeback or a dive into nostalgia. Rather, it represents the pure sound of accumulated experience, where the past does not hold one back but instead maintains a vital frequency. The guitar, having navigated both profound loss and deep gratitude, now sounds with a measured pace—and consequently, with greater depth. Sometimes, a single string retains more memory than an entire era, and that is sufficient for the journey to continue.