Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs/Luke’s Wall” rises to No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, marking a new peak for the 1970 release. WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 11: (L-R) Musicians Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath appear at a press conference to announce their first new album in 33 years and a world tour in 2012 at the Whisky a Go Go on November 11, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Several weeks after Ozzy Osbourne’s death, his name still appears on charts all around the world. Multiple tracks and albums credited to the rock pioneer, as well as Black Sabbath — where he got his start — land on multiple tallies in the United States as fans continue to mourn the passing of one of the most celebrated names in metal.
Most of Osbourne’s songs and full-lengths are on the decline, which isn’t unusual at this point in the grieving process, but one track from his group bucks the downward trend and climbs to a new peak decades after its release.
“War Pigs” Climbs to a New Chart Peak
“War Pigs/Luke’s Wall,” a double single of sorts, rises on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, Billboard’s ranking of the most consumed hard rock-only tunes in the United States. The Black Sabbath classic lifts a single spot from No. 6 to No. 5.
As it climbs, “War Pigs/Luke’s Wall” hits a never-before-seen high point three frames into its time on the consumption-based tally.
Black Sabbaths’s Three Hot Hard Rock Songs Chart Hits
Black Sabbath has seen three tunes hit the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, and all of them debuted within the last month. “Paranoid” stands out as the group’s only No. 1, while “War Pigs/Luke’s Wall” ties “Iron Man” as the band’s second-highest-charting tune – or lowest.
Previously, “War Pigs/Luke’s Wall” was the lowest-peaking Black Sabbath cut on the roster, but it now shares that distinction with “Iron Man.”
“Paranoid” Remains the Band’s Longest-Running Win
It also advances in terms of longevity. “Paranoid” has spent five frames on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, while Black Sabbath’s climbing tune earns a third stay, pulling out of a tie with “Iron Man,” which only held on for two stints.
“War Pigs” Lives on Multiple Billboard Charts
“War Pigs/Luke’s Wall” lives on half a dozen Billboard charts, all of which are focused on rock in one way or another. The cut only climbs on the Hot Hard Rock Songs tally, though it keeps at No. 6 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales list. The Black Sabbath favorite slips on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Rock Songs, Rock Digital Song Sales, and Hard Rock Streaming Songs charts at the same time.
“War Pigs” and “Luke’s Wall”
“War Pigs” was released in 1970 as part of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album. In the United States, the song’s instrumental outro is specifically called “Luke’s Wall,” so in America the track is credited as “War Pigs/Luke’s Wall.”