Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary English singer known as “TheÌýPrince of Darkness,” has died after years of poor health, his family announced Tuesday. He was 76.
“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,” read a statement signed by the singer’s wife, Sharon, and children, Aimee, Kelly, Jack and Louis. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
No cause of death was provided, though Osbourne suffered fromÌýParkinson’s disease.Ìý
The news of the singer’s passing comes just 17 days after some 42,000 fans came together to bid farewell to Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates inÌýa massive, star-studded tribute concertÌýin his hometown of Birmingham, England.
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.
— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne)
We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.
Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and…
A heavy metal legend
Osbourne rose to prominence in the 1970s as the frontman of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He went on to release more than a dozen albums as a solo artist.
In the late 1970s, after rejoining Black Sabbath, Osbourne and the band spent five months in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ at Sounds Interchange Studios, where they wrote and recorded their 1978 album, “Never Say Die!”
Osbourne was twice inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — once with Black Sabbath in 2006 and again in 2024 as a solo artist. Over the course of his career, he sold more than 100 million records.
NEW YORK (AP) — There are pioneering music figures, and then there is Ozzy Osbourne, the lar…
Later in life, Osbourne gained new prominence as a reality television star, appearing alongside his wife and children on the popular MTV series “The Osbournes.”Ìý
In 2020, following years of escalating health concerns, Osbourne announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2023, he announced that he was retiring from touring, citing spinal injuries he sustained during an 2018 accident.Ìý
Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of the pioneering band Black Sabbath --who became the throaty, growling voice of heavy metal, died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76. (July 22, 2025)
AP VideoOsbourne’s farewell concert
Dubbed the “Back to the Beginning” concert, the July 5 tribute featured performances from a long list of heavy metal royalty, including Metallica, Anthrax, Tool, Tom Morello, Slayer and Pantera.
“Let the madness begin!†Osbourne cried after finally taking the stage to perform several songs from his solo catalogue while seated on a black throne.
“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart,†said Osbourne.
Just 17 days ago, Ozzy Osbourne took the stage for the final time, reuniting with Black Sabbath for a farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham.
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence)
Credit: Universal Music Group
Later, he was joined onstage, for the first time in 20 years, by his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer†Butler and Bill Ward. The band ended a short set with “Paranoid,” one of their biggest hits.
Ozzy Osbourne Announces “No More Tours 2” Final World Tour at Press Conference at his Los Angeles ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ on February 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Live NationMusicians react to Osbourne’s death
Osbourne’s death wasÌýmet with an outpouring of tributes on social media from fans and fellow musicians.
- Daniel Opasinis, Elissa Mendes
“So sad to hear the news of (Osbourne) passing away,” wrote Sir Elton JohnÌý on Instagram. “He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock godsÌý— a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly.”
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Pioneering thrash metal band Metallica shared a photo alongside Osbourne on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a simple broken heart emoji.
💔
— Metallica (@Metallica)
Jack White, the singer-songwriter and former White Stripes frontman, posted on Instagram, with the caption: “He made it.”
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Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello also shared a photo on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
The founding father of heavy metal
Black Sabbath’s 1969 self-titled debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal. It arrived during the height of the Vietnam War and crashed the hippie party, dripping with menace. The cover of the record shows a spooky, witch-like figure against a foreboding, swampy landscape. The music was loud, dense and angry, and marked a shift in rock ’n’ roll.
The band’s second album, “Paranoid,†included such classic metal tunes as “War Pigs,†“Iron Man†and “Fairies Wear Boots.†The song “Paranoid†only reached No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 but became, in many ways, the band’s signature song. Both albums were voted among the top 10 greatest heavy metal albums of all time by readers of Rolling Stone magazine.
Sabbath later fired Osbourne in 1979 for his legendary excesses, including showing up late for rehearsals and missing gigs.
Ozzy Osbourne performs with Black Sabbath at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 2013.Ìý
Michael Robinson Chavez/Los Angeles Times/TNS“We knew we didn’t really have a choice but to sack him because he was just so out of control. But we were all very down about the situation,†wrote bassist Terry “Geezer†Butler in his memoir, “Into the Void.â€
Osbourne re-emerged the next year as a solo artist with “Blizzard of Ozz†and the following year’s “Diary of a Madman,†both hard rock classics that went multi-platinum and spawned enduring favorites such as “Crazy Train,†“Goodbye to Romance,†“Flying High Again†and “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll.â€
With files from the Associated Press.
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