Legendary rock icon and Black Sabbath frontman, Ozzy Osbourne, has died at the age of 76. His family confirmed the sad news in a statement on Tuesday, marking the end of a storied career that spanned more than five decades.
“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,” the statement read. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our privacy at this time.”
Osbourne’s death comes just two weeks after a farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham, England, where he reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for a final performance that drew more than 40,000 fans. Dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” the show was a swan song to a musical journey that redefined rock and birthed the heavy metal genre.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, Ozzy grew up in Aston, Birmingham, and found early inspiration in the Beatles. He left school at 15 and worked odd jobs before finding his calling in music. In 1968, he co-founded Black Sabbath, a band whose dark, thunderous sound would go on to influence generations of musicians.
Their breakthrough came in 1970 with the release of their self-titled debut album and the iconic follow-up Paranoid. Songs like “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” and the title track Paranoid cemented their legacy and carved a new path for heavy rock.
Osbourne was dismissed from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to substance abuse issues, but he launched an equally successful solo career, delivering hits like “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and “No More Tears.” Across both phases of his career, he sold over 100 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice once with Black Sabbath in 2006 and again as a solo artist in 2024.
Ozzy’s life was as wild as his music. Known for outrageous onstage antics, the most infamous being the 1982 incident in Iowa where he bit the head off a bat, he became a symbol of unfiltered rock energy. His battles with drugs and alcohol were public and intense, but so was his eventual journey to sobriety.
In the 2000s, he found new fame through the MTV reality series The Osbournes, which offered an unfiltered glimpse into his chaotic but loving family life with his wife Sharon and their children Jack, Kelly, and Aimee.
His health began to decline in recent years. After surviving a near-fatal ATV accident in 2003 and a major fall in 2019, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020. Despite these challenges, he continued to perform and even released two critically acclaimed albums, Ordinary Man (2020) and Patient Number 9 (2022).
The music world has been rocked by the news of his death. Elton John called him “a trailblazer and a true legend.” Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones wrote that he was “gutted” and praised Ozzy for being “one of the most unforgettable performers ever.”
Fans around the world are mourning the loss of a man whose voice and vision changed the course of rock history.
Ozzy Osbourne’s final appearance at Villa Park earlier this month was a moment of poetic closure. Seated on a grand leather throne topped with a bat, the Prince of Darkness bowed out on his own terms surrounded by fans, family, and the music he gave his life to.
“It’s the last song ever,” he told the crowd. “Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle… Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Ozzy Osbourne leaves behind a legacy etched in the riffs of rock and the roar of rebellion. He was more than a performer he was an era, a myth, and an enduring voice of defiance.
