Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76, just weeks after reuniting with his Black Sabbath bandmates for an emotional farewell concert at Villa Park in Birmingham.
The rock legend’s family confirmed his death in a statement released on Tuesday morning, saying he died “surrounded by love.” The statement, issued through the UK Press Association, read: “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. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Word of Osbourne’s demise came weeks after the ailing front man reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, for a triumphant final show in July 2025.
The Birmingham-raised star had battled Parkinson’s disease in recent years and suffered complications from injuries sustained in a fall in 2019. Despite being unable to stand, Osbourne performed his final concert on 5 July from a black throne on stage, telling the crowd of 40,000 fans: “You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Osbourne’s wife, TV personality Sharon Osbourne, revealed in February 2025 that Ozzy had contracted Parkinson’s disease and that it had left him unable to walk but “doesn’t affect his voice.” The concert, billed as “Back to the Beginning,” featured performances from some of heavy metal’s biggest names, including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, and Alice in Chains.
Born John Michael Osbourne on 3 December 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, the singer rose to prominence as the frontman of Black Sabbath, pioneering heavy metal music with hits including “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “War Pigs.” The band, formed in 1968, became one of the most influential acts in rock history, with their dark, heavy sound laying the groundwork for an entire genre.
In the wake of making the troublesome latter album, Osbourne bolted the group in 1977 and embarked on a solo project, Blizzard of Ozz, and was replaced by singer Dave Walker of Savoy Brown. He was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to substance abuse issues but went on to forge a hugely successful solo career.
His solo hits included “Crazy Train,” “No More Tears,” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Throughout his career, Osbourne released 13 studio albums, with the first seven achieving multi-platinum status in the United States. He won five Grammy Awards as a solo artist and was inducted into both the UK Music Hall of Fame and the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice – with Black Sabbath and as a solo performer.
In the early 2000s, Osbourne found a new generation of fans through the MTV reality show “The Osbournes,” which followed his chaotic family life in Los Angeles with wife Sharon and two of their children, Kelly and Jack. New York Times TV critic Caryn James wrote of the show’s second-season bow in 2002, “The Osbournes remain a wacky, harmlessly outrageous variation on Everyfamily, as full of warmth as they are of weirdness.”
The singer became notorious for his wild stage antics, most infamously biting the head off a bat during a 1982 concert in Des Moines, Iowa. He later claimed he thought the bat was rubber, though it bit him back, requiring rabies treatment.
It was no secret that Osbourne had been sick for some time. He opened up about his battles with Parkinson’s disease and repeat spinal surgeries in a November 2023 interview with Rolling Stone magazine. In February 2023, he announced his retirement from touring, stating he was no longer physically capable of handling the travel required.
Sharon Osbourne had taken over as his manager in 1979, helping him launch his solo career after his dismissal from Black Sabbath. The couple married in 1982 and remained together despite periods of separation and well-documented struggles, including Osbourne’s battles with alcohol and drug addiction.
His popularity among metal fans was so immense that his wife and manager Sharon Osbourne built a touring festival, Ozzfest, around him; it became one of the biggest box office attractions of the ’90s and attracted a glittering lineup of support acts.
Osbourne made a surprise appearance on stage in Birmingham to close the Commonwealth Games in 2022, demonstrating his enduring connection to his hometown despite his health challenges. Earlier this year, Sharon announced the Villa Park concert, saying he was determined to give fans the “perfect farewell.”
Despite his ailments, Osbourne mustered the strength to play one final concert earlier this month alongside his Black Sabbath bandmates earlier this month in his hometown of Birmingham, UK. The concert raised approximately £190 million for charities including The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
Throughout his career, Osbourne received numerous accolades including an Ivor Novello award, the NME’s Godlike Genius award, and Classic Rock’s Living Legend prize. He also has stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham’s Broad Street.
By then, Osbourne had garnered what he had been denied when he first started out — respect from music critics and other naysayers who underestimated him and Black Sabbath.
Osbourne leaves behind his wife Sharon, their three children Aimee, Kelly and Jack, as well as two older children, Jessica and Louis, from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and several grandchildren. The statement, first obtained by The Sun, was signed by Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.
His influence on heavy metal and rock music remains immeasurable, with countless bands citing Black Sabbath and Osbourne’s solo work as primary influences. From his working-class roots in Birmingham to becoming one of rock’s most recognisable figures, Osbourne’s journey epitomised the transformative power of music.
The Prince of Darkness, as he was known throughout his career, maintained his rebellious spirit to the end, telling Rolling Stone in 2023: “If I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man.”
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Image Credit:
Ozzy Osbourne at Changing Hands Bookstore, 20 February 2010 – Photo by Lisa Gansky, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
