Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76, just weeks after delivering an emotional farewell performance alongside his original Black Sabbath bandmates.
In a heartfelt statement, his family said, “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
Osbourne’s final performance took place on 5 July at Villa Park in Birmingham, where he addressed 42,000 fans from a throne on stage, saying: “You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.” The “Back To The Beginning” concert featured tributes from musical giants including Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, and marked the first time in 20 years that the original Black Sabbath lineup—Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—performed together.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Metallica shared a photo of the band with Osbourne, accompanied by a broken heart emoji. Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood called the farewell concert a “lovely goodbye.” Sir Elton John hailed him as a “huge trailblazer” and one of the “funniest people” he had ever met.
Born John Michael Osbourne on 3 December 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he rose to fame as the frontman of Black Sabbath and became known globally as the “Godfather of Heavy Metal.” The band’s 1970 debut album paved the way for a new genre, with classics like Iron Man, Paranoid, and War Pigs defining a generation. Osbourne later found solo success with albums like Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman.
His wild persona and infamous onstage antics—including the notorious incident where he bit the head off a bat while on stage—became the stuff of rock legend. Though he was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to his legendary excesses, his solo career flourished, earning him worldwide acclaim and millions of record sales.
In the early 2000s, he reached a new audience with The Osbournes, a reality show chronicling his chaotic family life in Los Angeles. Despite battling Parkinson’s disease and numerous health setbacks in recent years, he continued to make surprise appearances, including at the closing of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Throughout his career, Osbourne amassed numerous honours, including inductions into the UK and US Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, five Grammy Awards, and a star on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham’s Broad Street. He was also the recipient of an Ivor Novello Award, NME’s Godlike Genius honour, and Classic Rock’s Living Legend award.
Ozzy Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon; their children Aimee, Kelly, and Jack; his two older children Jessica and Louis from his first marriage to Thelma Riley; and several grandchildren. His influence on rock and heavy metal remains unmatched, and fans around the world continue to mourn the loss of a true legend.
Melissa Enoch
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