
Tony Iommi Charts His First Solo Top 40 Hit Thanks To An Unlikely Feature
Tony Iommi is regarded as a god in the rock world, and has been for decades. He first rose to prominence as one of the founding members of Black Sabbath and, for years, he helped bring heavy metal to the masses with his signature guitar sound. While he's primarily known for his work with that group, Iommi does occasionally release music under his own name.
The superstar scores a hit song in his home country of the United Kingdom this week by teaming up with a somewhat surprising figure.
Iommi earns a top 40 hit on both the Official Singles Downloads and Official Singles Sales charts this frame. He joins Robbie Williams on the track "Rocket," which opens at Nos. 34 and 36, respectively, on those tallies, becoming a top 40 bestseller in the nation.
It appears that "Rocket" is Iommi's first solo hit on both of those rankings. As a member of Black Sabbath, he's only reached the lists once, as "Paranoid" spent one frame on the rosters in August 2022. Of course, it's worth mentioning that these tallies didn't exist during the heyday of the heavy metal act.
Iommi has landed more than one solo placement on the Official Rock & Metal Albums roster with his solo collections, but those titles didn't produce any hit songs across the Atlantic.
"Rocket" serves as the lead single from Williams's upcoming album Britpop. It's interesting that the first taste of a full-length named after a style of pop music from the U.K. wouldn't typically be classified under that genre, and would feature one of the most recognizable figures in metal — but that's Williams, playing another one of his jokes.
While Iommi may be new to these rankings, Williams has already scored a number of hits. The pop icon has racked up a dozen smashes on the Official Singles Sales chart and well over two dozen on the Official Singles Downloads list.
A top 40 start is impressive for Iommi but rather low for Williams, one of the most successful pop stars in U.K. history. The tune doesn't reach the main list of the most consumed songs — the Official Singles chart — at least not yet, which is a bit disappointing.
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Noel and Liam Gallagher of British rock band Oasis on Portland St, Manchester, 2 August 1994. Kevin Cummins / Iconic Images Wembley Park is hosting a free outdoor photography exhibition of images taken by celebrated NME photographer Kevin Cummins of Liam and Noel Gallagher in 1994. The exhibition coincides with the Oasis Live '25 reunion tour. As Oasis fans pack stadiums for the much anticipated music reunion of the decade, Wembley Park has unveiled a free outdoor photography exhibition, featuring photographs by Kevin Cummins that capture the brotherly bond and raw talent that defined the early days of Liam and Noel Gallagher. Titled Brothers: Liam and Noel Through the Lens of Kevin Cummins , the open-air exhibition features over twenty large-scale portraits taken in 1994 by Cummins. 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But 'Brothers' shows something very different: a deep emotional connection forged in the chaos of rising fame. Cummins' photos–many on display for the first time–were taken during a pivotal year in Oasis's history: 1994. That was the run-up to the release of their debut album, Definitely Maybe , which would go on to become one of the fastest-selling debut albums in UK chart history. But these images predate the mega stardom. They show the Gallaghers in hotel rooms, tour buses, and backstreets—relaxed, playful, and close. Back in 1994 Liam and Noel were musicians starting to make waves on the Manchester music scene, but their star was still in the ascendant–whereas Cummins was a celebrated NME photographer, known for his images of many high-profile musicians of the era. I asked Cummins how he engaged with the Brothers to capture such natural images of the young siblings pre-global stardom: He explained: 'There are many photo shoots from 1994. It wasn't just one day you know. 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Kevin Cummins / Iconic Images The exhibition stands as both a nostalgic tribute and a contemporary celebration of one of Britain's most influential bands. Whether you're reliving memories or discovering Oasis for the first time, Kevin Cummins' photographs offer something timeless. It's not just about Oasis. It's about family, fame, identity—and how a few photographs can capture the storm before the supernova. Brothers: Liam and Noel Through the Lens of Kevin Cummins is at Wembley Park, London until 30th September, 2025 and is presented in partnership with Iconic Images and the Wembley Park Art Trail.


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