Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath, has died. He was 76.
His family confirmed the news this morning in a statement, explaining that the pioneer of heavy metal passed away peacefully, “surrounded by his family and love.”
“It is with a sadness that cannot be put into words that we must announce our beloved Ozzy Osbourne passed away this morning,” the statement read. It was signed by his wife, Sharon, and his children, Aimee, Kelly, Jack, and Louis.
The family has asked for privacy at this time.
A Long Battle with Health
While a specific cause of death was not given, Osbourne had struggled with several health problems for years. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was also living with the effects of a serious fall at his home in 2019.
That accident, which happened while he was recovering from pneumonia, forced him to cancel his world tour. In the years since, he has undergone four separate surgeries to address injuries from the fall, which worsened damage from a quad bike crash over two decades ago.
He rarely appeared on stage after the accident. In an interview last year, he spoke of being in constant pain. “It’s just so unpleasant,” he said.
One Final Performance
Just three weeks ago, on 5 July, Osbourne gave a final farewell performance in his hometown of Birmingham. It was his first time in front of a live audience in six years.
Appearing on stage in a black, jewel-studded throne, he sang for a crowd of over 40,000 at Villa Park stadium. He was later joined by his original Black Sabbath bandmates – Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward – for the first time since 2005. They performed the classic hits that changed rock music forever.
Artists including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and Slayer also played in his honour.
From Birmingham to Black Sabbath
Born to a factory-working family in Birmingham in 1948, Osbourne described a difficult childhood. He formed Black Sabbath in the late 1960s.
The band’s first albums, Black Sabbath (1970) and Paranoid (1970), defined a new sound. It was heavier and darker than anything else at the time, what Geezer Butler once called an “industrial feeling.” The records were a massive success and helped ignite the global heavy metal movement.
After a string of successful albums, Osbourne was fired from the band in 1979 due to his struggles with alcohol and drugs. He went on to have a hugely successful solo career, releasing 13 albums that sold millions of copies.
The Prince of Darkness
Osbourne’s career was defined by his music and his controversies. He famously called himself the “Prince of Darkness” and became known for his wild behaviour on and off stage.
In a now-infamous incident, he bit the head off a dead bat during a concert in 1982. He also faced personal turmoil, including an arrest in 1989 for the attempted murder of his wife, Sharon, though the couple later reconciled.
Throughout his life, he was open about his long battle with addiction.
From 2002 to 2005, the family’s life was documented in the hit reality TV show, The Osbournes. The show won an Emmy and introduced him to a new generation of fans, cementing his place as a unique figure in popular culture.
