Lynch
Here for the cookies and the tunes
Very tough poll. If you look at entire bodies of work, it's hard to compare. About a dozen studio albums vs two. So, I'll attempt to make this a fair comparison: First 2 VH albums vs first 2 Ozzy albums (disregarding QR's stuff).
In my opinion, VH was heralded immediately as "the next great guitarist" when VH1 first hit the shelves. People were in awe of his playing style, the energy, the intuitiveness that was Eddie Van Halen. This continued right into the second album.
On Blizzard of Ozz, I think it was more of a coming out party for "former Black Sabbath frontman, Ozzy Osbourne" than it was a jaw-dropping album featuring a great yet unknown guitar player. Some of this may have been due to the star power that Ozzy already had, as opposed to VH who no one outside of LA knew at all before their first album. When Diary of A Madman came out, I think Randy started really gaining the attn of the guitar world as well as the media. Unfortunately he died in a stupid plane-stunt-gone-bad and we never got to find out the extent of his abilities or potential.
So, where am I going with this? I have to say that as much as I love BOTH of Ozzy's first two albums with Randy and as much as I love Randy's playing, I don't think it was as big to the guitar world as Eddie's first two albums. VH1 = one of the greatest debut albums in the history of rock. I think Eddie's influence and genre-changing talents were only preceded by those of some dude from Seattle by the name of Jimi. I'm honestly not sure if anyone has ever been as groundbreaking in rock since Eddie. Randy perhaps could have been the next great guitarist after Eddie, but obviously we'll never know. His first two albums were great. The live album was great.
Two of the best guitarists ever in my honest opinion, but Eddie is higher on my list.
(stepping off of my soapbox now)
In my opinion, VH was heralded immediately as "the next great guitarist" when VH1 first hit the shelves. People were in awe of his playing style, the energy, the intuitiveness that was Eddie Van Halen. This continued right into the second album.
On Blizzard of Ozz, I think it was more of a coming out party for "former Black Sabbath frontman, Ozzy Osbourne" than it was a jaw-dropping album featuring a great yet unknown guitar player. Some of this may have been due to the star power that Ozzy already had, as opposed to VH who no one outside of LA knew at all before their first album. When Diary of A Madman came out, I think Randy started really gaining the attn of the guitar world as well as the media. Unfortunately he died in a stupid plane-stunt-gone-bad and we never got to find out the extent of his abilities or potential.
So, where am I going with this? I have to say that as much as I love BOTH of Ozzy's first two albums with Randy and as much as I love Randy's playing, I don't think it was as big to the guitar world as Eddie's first two albums. VH1 = one of the greatest debut albums in the history of rock. I think Eddie's influence and genre-changing talents were only preceded by those of some dude from Seattle by the name of Jimi. I'm honestly not sure if anyone has ever been as groundbreaking in rock since Eddie. Randy perhaps could have been the next great guitarist after Eddie, but obviously we'll never know. His first two albums were great. The live album was great.
Two of the best guitarists ever in my honest opinion, but Eddie is higher on my list.
(stepping off of my soapbox now)
good to know I wasn't long-winded for no reason at all. 
