Ozzy Osbourne Dies at 76, Weeks After Final Black Sabbath Concert

Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman who put heavy metal on the map with Black Sabbath, has died at 76. His family announced on July 22, 2025, that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.

A Humble Beginning & Big Break

John Michael Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948, in a working-class neighborhood near Birmingham, England. School was a struggle. He had dyslexia and dropped out when he was 15. But hearing The Beatles’ “She Loves You” changed everything for him. He said it hit him like lightning and he just knew music was his calling.

In 1968, he helped assemble the band Earth, which later became Black Sabbath. While most bands were riding the peace-and-love wave, Black Sabbath went the in the polar opposite direction. The 1971 album Paranoid featuring classics like “Iron Man” and “War Pigs” shot them to fame and laid the groundwork for heavy metal as we know it.

Ozzy’s Solo Era

His battles with drug and alcohol addiction forced him to leave Black Sabbath in 1979. But Ozzy quickly bounced back by launching a solo career. His 1980 album, Blizzard of Ozz, included “Crazy Train,” one of his most recognizable pieces. He was known for outrageous onstage moments, like biting the head off a bat in 1982. A reckless stunt that required him to get rabies shots afterward.

Reflecting on the bat incident, Ozzy explained in a documentary,

I thought it was a rubber bat. I picked it up, put it in my mouth, crunched down, bit into it, being the clown that I am. Bats are the biggest carriers of rabies in the world, and I had to go to the hospital afterwards, and they started giving me rabies shots.

Despite his wild reputation, Ozzy was open about his struggles. He lost his close friend and guitarist Randy Rhoads in a plane crash in 1982. The tragedy hit him hard. Over the years, he battled addiction and health problems, but kept pushing forward.

Ozzy’s Final Bow: Saying Thanks & Goodbye

Ozzy revealed in January 2020 that he had been living with Parkinson’s disease since 2003.

I’m not dying from Parkinson’s,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “I’ve been working with it most of my life. I’ve cheated death so many times. If tomorrow you read ‘Ozzy Osbourne never woke up this morning,’ you wouldn’t go, ‘Oh my God!’ You’d go, ‘Well, it finally caught up with him.’

Despite the toll of Parkinson’s and other health issues, including spinal surgeries and a severe infection, Ozzy gave what he called his “final bow” in July 2025. He performed one last show at Villa Park in the UK with Black Sabbath. A final concert to celebrate his career and thank his fans.

His wife, Sharon Osbourne, explained the decision to hold the farewell concert:

It was my idea because Ozzy’s one regret was that he didn’t get the chance to say thank you to his fans before he finished his world tour. We thought this would be the best way to do it. It’s a celebration of Ozzy and Sabbath and the music.

The Many Faces of Ozzy Osbourne

Outside of music, Ozzy became a household name thanks to MTV’s The Osbournes, a reality TV show that aired from 2002 to 2005. The show gave fans a look at the chaos and humor of the Osbourne family’s everyday life. Ozzy later said the show was “100 percent real,” explaining, “What you saw is what we were like. We didn’t plan on getting up and doing what we did, we just let things happen.”

He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: once with Black Sabbath in 2006, and again as a solo artist in 2024.

Tributes to the Prince of Darkness

Since the news of his passing, tributes have flooded in from across the music world and beyond.

Tony Iommi said,

I just can’t believe it. My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park. It’s just such heartbreaking news that I can’t really find the words. There won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother. My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family. Rest in peace Oz.

Bassist Geezer Butler wrote,

Goodbye dear friend—thanks for all those years—we had some great fun. Four kids from Aston—who’d have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.

Brian May from Queen shared,

His last appearance at Villa Park was a glorious way to say goodbye. The love in that place for him was gigantic. I’m grateful I was able to have a few quiet words with him after the show. The world will miss Ozzie’s unique presence and fearless talent.

Jon Bon Jovi said,

Much love to Sharon and the beautiful Osbourne family. So sorry to hear of your loss. Rest easy Ozzy.

Even outside music, tributes came from unexpected places. Adam Sandler shared,

Nobody was more badass to crank up on our speakers than the one and only Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne! Loved him a lot like we all did. Sending love to the family and so happy to have spent time with the legend himself.

The Man, The Myth, The Heavy Metal Legend

He once joked about how he’d be remembered, saying,

I know what’s going to be on my tombstone, and there’s no getting around it. ‘Here lies Ozzy Osbourne, the ex-Black Sabbath singer who bit the head off a bat.’

Ozzy Osbourne changed everything about rock music. He created the sound and attitude of heavy metal. At 76, he has passed away, leaving behind a legacy no one can touch.

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