LONDON – Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic frontman of heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath, has died at the age of 76 in England, just three weeks after performing a farewell concert for fans around the world.
His family released a statement on Tuesday (July 22), confirming that Osbourne passed away peacefully at his home in Birmingham, surrounded by loved ones. The cause of death was not disclosed, but Osbourne had battled numerous health issues in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2019, and chronic pulmonary conditions caused by decades of heavy smoking.
Tributes have poured in from across the rock and metal world, with heartfelt messages from fellow original Black Sabbath members, Brian May of Queen, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, and the members of Metallica, who have long cited Black Sabbath as a foundational influence.
Born in Birmingham in 1948, Ozzy co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968 alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. The band’s first three albums – Black Sabbath, Paranoid (1970), and Master of Reality (1971) – laid the groundwork for modern heavy metal, with their dark themes, thundering riffs, and Osbourne’s haunting vocals.
After parting ways with the band, Ozzy launched a successful solo career, eventually selling over 100 million records worldwide. His theatrical stage presence, signature black attire, and shocking antics – including the infamous moment in 1982 when he bit the head off a bat thrown onstage – earned him the nicknames “The Godfather of Heavy Metal” and “The Prince of Darkness.” The latter title reflected not only his image but also his music’s fascination with darkness, mystery, and the supernatural.
Beyond music, Osbourne reached a new generation of fans through his family’s reality TV series The Osbournes, which aired on MTV in 2002. The show offered a raw and often humorous look into his personal life with wife Sharon and their children, including two daughters featured on the show out of his six children.
A Final Farewell: “Back to the Beginning”
Ozzy’s last performance took place on July 5 at Aston Villa’s Villa Park stadium, not far from his hometown. Titled Back To The Beginning, the farewell concert drew over 40,000 fans and featured a historic onstage reunion with Black Sabbath’s founding members – the first in more than two decades. Despite being confined to a chair due to his declining health, Osbourne led powerful renditions of timeless classics like Paranoid, War Pigs, Iron Man, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
The concert was both a celebration and a goodbye — a final bow from a man whose music defined a genre and whose dark, raw spirit reshaped rock history. (TNA)
