Ozzy Osbourne dead aged 76

Photo Credit: Daniel Zappe (Focka) / CC by 2.0

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has died at age 76, just weeks after reuniting with his Black Sabbath bandmates in a massive farewell concert.

Ozzy Osbourne has passed away just weeks after he performed from a throne in a huge farewell concert for fans that reunited him with his Black Sabbath bandmates. He was 76.

“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,” his family said in a statement. “He was with his family and surrounded by love.”

Less than three weeks ago, as he performed from a throne on stage at Villa Park, Ozzy told his fans: “You’ve no idea how I feel—thank you from the bottom of my heart.” The last to appear on stage for the event, Osbourne was joined by his fellow Black Sabbath members—Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler, and Bill Ward.

The gig featured performances from some of the rock legend’s favorite acts, including Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, for Ozzy’s “final bow.” Following the news of his death, Metallica posted a photo of the band with Ozzy, along with a broken heart emoji.

Dubbed the Prince of Darkness and known as the godfather of heavy metal, Ozzy pioneered the music genre with Black Sabbath before going on to have a massively successful solo career. His hits, both with the band and as a solo artist, include “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” and “Crazy Train.”

Black Sabbath’s debut album was released in 1970, making the UK Top 10 and setting the stage for future success. The band went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, with over 75 million albums sold worldwide.

Ozzy also found an entirely different sort of fame thanks to his MTV reality show The Osbournes. The series followed the star’s unconventional life in Los Angeles with his wife and manager Sharon and two of their children, Kelly and Jack.

Later in life, Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and suffered numerous health problems in recent years. This included complications from injuries sustained in a fall in 2019.

Due to his health, Osbourne was forced to cancel his final tour shows, but managed to make a surprise appearance in his native Birmingham to close the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Earlier this year, Sharon announced the Villa Park gig as a way for Ozzy to give fans “the perfect farewell.”

Ozzy was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—twice for both, as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath. He also had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as in Birmingham Broad Street. Throughout his career, he earned numerous accolades, including five Grammy wins from 12 nominations.

Since the news of Ozzy’s passing, numerous artists have paid tribute to his legacy online, including his Black Sabbath bandmates. Other tributes have poured in from artists like Jack White, Metallica, Rob Zombie, Elton John, Questlove, Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), David Draiman (Disturbed), and Flavor Flav.