We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll is a compilation album by the Englishheavy metal bandBlack Sabbath, originally released in January 1976 in the UK[1] and 3 February 1976 in the US.
When Black Sabbath signed with NEMS, the label which would release their 1975 albumSabotage in the UK, NEMS acquired the band's back catalogue and wasted little time compiling this release. Authorized without the band's awareness by their previous manager,Patrick Meehan, the band would make no money whatsoever from the release.[citation needed] Although the band had six studio albums to its name at this point, this compilation drew heavily on the first four albums: this would also be a feature of most of theOsbourne-era compilations later released.
The original UK gatefold album, with a matte finish, featured a woman in a coffin holding what looks like a tin foil cross. Additionally, the original record retainedGeezer Butler's bass solo before "N.I.B.", but this would be edited from later issues. Some US copies of the LP do not actually include "Wicked World" on the label or on the record itself, though it does appear on the cover. In the UK, "Wicked World" had been only a B-side and was relatively obscure.
Despite the album being an official release, Iommi has been quoted as saying that the first time the band knew of it was when asked to autograph copies which fans presented after concerts.[citation needed]
It wascertified Silver in the UK by theBPI on 1 October 1976.[5] In the US theRIAA certified the album as Gold on 7 February 1980, Platinum on 13 May 1986 and 2x Multi-Platinum (generally known as 'Double Platinum' outside the offices of the RIAA) on 16 March 2000.[6]
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