Legendary heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76, just weeks after reuniting with his Black Sabbath bandmates for a monumental farewell concert.
His family confirmed the news in a heartfelt statement:
“It is with more sadness than words can express that we share the passing of our beloved Ozzy Osbourne this morning. He was surrounded by family and love.”
Just under three weeks ago, Osbourne delivered an emotional performance at Villa Park in Birmingham, where he sat on a throne before 42,000 fans and said, “You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The event, titled “Back To The Beginning,” was billed as Osbourne’s final performance and featured appearances by some of his favorite artists, including Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. The night culminated in a long-awaited reunion with original Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward – their first time on stage together in two decades.
Following news of Osbourne’s death, tributes poured in from the rock world:
- Metallica shared a photo with Osbourne and a broken heart emoji on X.
- Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones reflected, “What a beautiful farewell at Back To The Beginning. I’m heartbroken.”
- Black Sabbath’s official account posted a photo captioned, “Ozzy Forever!”
- Ali Campbell of UB40 hailed him as, “The Prince of Darkness… a true Birmingham legend who defined heavy metal.”
- Sir Elton John remembered him as both a “huge trailblazer” and “one of the funniest people” he ever met.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, Ozzy became a global icon and is often referred to as the “Godfather of Heavy Metal.” He helped pioneer the genre with Black Sabbath and later carved out an immensely successful solo career. His catalog includes iconic tracks like Iron Man, Paranoid, War Pigs, Crazy Train, and Changes.
Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut in 1970 marked the beginning of a career that saw the band sell over 75 million albums worldwide and influence generations of rock musicians.
Beyond music, Ozzy also found pop culture fame through the early-2000s MTV reality show The Osbournes, which gave fans a chaotic, humorous glimpse into his family life in Los Angeles with wife Sharon and their children, Kelly and Jack.
Osbourne’s wild antics became legendary—none more so than the infamous moment when he bit the head off a bat during a live show. His struggles with substance abuse led to his firing from Black Sabbath in 1979, but he quickly rebounded, launching a solo career with the multiplatinum albums Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman.
In recent years, Osbourne battled several health issues, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries from a fall in 2019. Despite these challenges, he made surprise appearances, including at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Sharon Osbourne later announced the farewell Villa Park show, saying Ozzy was determined to give fans a proper goodbye.
Throughout his career, he earned a spot in both the UK Music Hall of Fame and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—twice: once with Black Sabbath and again as a solo artist. He was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an Ivor Novello award, five Grammys from 12 nominations, and accolades like NME’s Godlike Genius and Classic Rock’s Living Legend Award.
Ozzy is survived by his wife Sharon, their children Aimee, Kelly, and Jack, as well as Jessica and Louis, his children from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and several grandchildren.
Actor Jason Momoa, who hosted Osbourne’s farewell concert in Birmingham on July 5, also paid tribute. Days before Ozzy’s passing, Momoa shared how surreal the experience was for him:
“To be at Sabbath – that’s 13-year-old Jason’s dream. July has been amazing, but the comedown is going to be brutal.”
Following the news, Momoa posted a tribute on Instagram with a photo alongside Ozzy and Sharon, writing: “Love you @ozzyosbourne. All my aloha @sharonosbourne and ohana. So grateful. RIP.”
