From biting bats to breaking barriers, the Black Sabbath frontman leaves behind a legacy as loud as his voice.
Ozzy Osbourne, the trailblazing Black Sabbath frontman whose wild antics and unmistakable voice helped define heavy metal for generations, has died. He was 76.
The news was confirmed by his family in a solemn statement: “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.”
His death comes just weeks after a final reunion with bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — a sold-out farewell show on July 5 at Birmingham’s Villa Park. Seated on a leather throne due to Parkinson’s disease, Ozzy performed Sabbath classics for 45,000 fans and nearly 6 million online.
A Final Encore in the City Where It All Began
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told the crowd through tears, mascara smudged and voice unwavering. It was a fitting finale for a man who had, quite literally, given everything to music.
Shortly after his death, the official Black Sabbath Facebook page posted a simple, searing tribute: “Ozzy Forever.”
From Birmingham’s Streets to the World’s Stages
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in industrial Birmingham, England, Ozzy’s beginnings were humble and chaotic. He was the fourth of six children, dyslexic, a school dropout, and briefly imprisoned for burglary.
In 1968, he joined forces with Iommi, Butler, and Ward. They called themselves Black Sabbath, and the rest is metal history. With haunting riffs, occult themes, and Ozzy’s signature wail, the band changed the face of rock.
Their second album, Paranoid, released in 1970, was a breakout success, featuring genre-defining anthems like “Iron Man” and “War Pigs.” Critics would later recognize Sabbath’s sound as foundational to metal.
Reinvention, Madness, and a Second Act
After being fired from Sabbath in 1979 for his out-of-control partying, Ozzy reinvented himself with the help of manager-turned-wife Sharon Osbourne. His solo debut Blizzard of Ozz launched the iconic “Crazy Train,” and Diary of a Madman confirmed he wasn’t done yet.
Even after the tragic death of guitarist Randy Rhoads, Ozzy’s career surged through the ’80s and ’90s, fueled by chaos, from biting a bat to snorting ants with Mötley Crüe. In 1996, Sharon co-created Ozzfest, launching a new wave of metal acts.
Then came The Osbournes in 2002, where Ozzy’s tea-sipping, bathrobe-wearing side made him an unlikely reality TV star. “Suddenly, Ozzy was sipping tea in a bathrobe instead of biting heads off animals and people loved it,” said TV historian Robert Thompson.
Battles, Blessings, and Borrowed Time
Ozzy was candid about his health struggles in recent years — spinal surgeries, a Parkinson’s diagnosis, and mobility issues. Yet his voice, many said, remained unchanged.
“I do count my lucky stars,” he said in 2023, “I don’t know why I’m still here. I said to Sharon, ‘What a great f—— life we’ve had.’”
In his final years, respect poured in. Metallica, Slayer, and Alice in Chains cited him as a godfather. Scholars hailed his raw, blues-inspired voice as a “literal devil-may-care” delivery that helped birth a genre.
Survivor, Showman, Legend
Ozzy Osbourne is survived by Sharon, his wife of over 40 years, and six children: Jessica, Louis, and Elliot from his first marriage, and Aimee, Kelly, and Jack from his second.
In a 2002 interview, Ozzy joked that his epitaph would probably be about the bat. “But I’ve got no complaints,” he said. “At least I’ll be remembered.”
