Ozzy Osbourne, the electrifying frontman of Black Sabbath whose unmistakable voice and chaotic presence helped define an entire genre of music, has died at the age of 76. His death was confirmed by his family in a statement provided to NBC News. “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.”
Osbourne’s death comes just weeks after an emotional reunion performance in July 2025 with his original Black Sabbath bandmates—Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—at a sold-out show in Birmingham’s Villa Park stadium. Over 45,000 fans attended in person, with nearly 6 million more tuning in online for what would be the band’s final act together. During the performance, Osbourne, unable to stand due to health issues, performed from a leather throne with tears running down his face as he told the crowd, “You’ve got no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
@OzzyOsbourne (Ozzy Osbourne) “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. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis”
July 22, 2025 https://x.com/OzzyOsbourne/status/1947731442622206170
Contents
The Long Battle with Health and the Power of Voice
In early 2025, his wife Sharon Osbourne revealed that the singer was no longer able to walk due to Parkinson’s disease, although she noted that the condition “doesn’t affect his voice.” Despite his physical limitations, Osbourne was able to perform four of the band’s most iconic tracks: “War Pigs,” “NIB,” “Iron Man,” and the widely recognized “Paranoid.”
That final show also included tributes by bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Alice in Chains, who performed covers of Black Sabbath songs and Osbourne’s solo work. Other legendary musicians, including Ronnie Woods of The Rolling Stones, participated as well.
Osbourne had been open about his struggles with Parkinson’s and spinal surgeries, telling Rolling Stone in a 2023 interview, “I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will.” Reflecting on his life of excess, he credited his survival to his wife Sharon, saying, “I do count my lucky stars. I don’t know why I’m still here, and I do sometimes think I’m on borrowed time. I said to Sharon the other day, ‘What a great f—–g life we’ve had and what a great f—–g experience.’”
From Slaughterhouse to Superstardom
John Michael Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England. One of six children, he came from a working-class background with little indication that he would become a global star. Osbourne dropped out of school at 15, working jobs like car horn testing and meat processing in a slaughterhouse before briefly being jailed for burglary.
In 1968, he joined a local band that would later become Black Sabbath. Originally named the Polka Tulk Blues Band and later Earth, the group eventually took inspiration from a Boris Karloff horror film and adopted the name Black Sabbath. Their new sound, steeped in occult themes and heavy guitar riffs, launched a genre and established a new form of rock music.
“We had a dream and it came true beyond our wildest expectations,” Osbourne told the BBC in 2017. “I remember playing in the Crown Pub in Birmingham and thinking, ‘This will be good for a couple of years, drink a few beers and have a jam.’” Instead, they helped shape the sound of heavy metal for decades.
Musical Impact and Critical Transformation
Though initially dismissed by critics—described by some as “Satanic claptrap” or “the worst of the counterculture”—Black Sabbath’s music resonated with a generation. Bruce Barber, a professor at the University of New Haven, stated that Osbourne had “that X-factor” and that the band’s message connected deeply with young people during the Vietnam War era.
His unique vocal delivery also drew praise from academics and musicians alike. Mark Tavern of the University of New Haven pointed out how Osbourne’s voice combined rawness with emotional intensity, while Katherine Dacey of Berklee College of Music called his voice “immediately recognizable,” adding that “technically speaking, he was a natural tenor with a good range and a powerful, focused voice.”
The Wild Years and a Dangerous Reputation
Osbourne’s behavior off-stage became as legendary as his performances. Known for his excessive use of drugs and alcohol, his ability to consume large quantities without succumbing shocked even medical professionals. In 2011, scientists referred to him as a “genetic mutant” with a body capable of metabolizing recreational drugs in a unique way. Sharon Osbourne once remarked, “I’ve always said that at the end of the world there will be roaches, Ozzy and Keith Richards.”
But his behavior did take its toll. Following a series of disappointing albums, he was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979. His exit came shortly after being deemed uncontrollable by his bandmates, including Iommi, who later admitted to The Guardian that Osbourne had become too erratic.
Reinvention Through Love and Legacy
Rather than marking the end, Osbourne’s departure from Black Sabbath ushered in a highly successful solo career—spearheaded by Sharon Levy, daughter of his former manager, who became both his manager and later his wife. Under Sharon’s guidance, Osbourne released the critically acclaimed album “Blizzard of Ozz” in 1980, featuring the enduring hit “Crazy Train.” The follow-up, “Diary of a Madman,” solidified his solo success, although tragedy struck during the tour when guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash.
Sharon also played a critical role in creating Ozzfest, a touring heavy metal festival that ran from 1996 to 2018, further cementing Osbourne’s influence on new generations of musicians.
Yet controversy never strayed far. In 1982, he bit the head off a bat during a performance in Iowa—something he claimed he believed was a rubber prop. That same year, he was arrested for urinating on the Alamo in Texas. He reportedly also snorted live ants during a competition with Mötley Crüe. “We thought we could compete with that, but you can’t with Ozzy. He won,” said Crüe’s Nikki Sixx.
A Second Wind Through Reality TV and Reunions
Osbourne’s popularity waned by the end of the 1990s. But in 2002, Sharon helped reinvent his public image again through “The Osbournes,” an MTV reality series that gave viewers an inside look at his home life. According to Robert Thompson of Syracuse University, “The show introduced him to a whole other group of people… who really got to know him through that show.”
This shift in image allowed Osbourne to reach even broader audiences and brought invitations from world leaders. He met President George W. Bush and performed at Queen Elizabeth II’s 2002 jubilee.
Bruce Barber, who interviewed the couple around that time, recalled visiting their hotel expecting a wild scene. Instead, “There he was with Sharon dressed in matching Parker Meridian bathrobes. They were kind and polite.”
Osbourne’s career came full circle with multiple reunion tours with Black Sabbath. Their 2013 album “13” was their first U.S. No. 1, and the July 2025 concert brought the original members together one last time.
The Final Note in a Historic Life
Over time, even critics who once dismissed him acknowledged Osbourne’s place in music history. “His biggest legacy is as a tremendous character, a tremendous entertainer, and a very likable — and sellable — figure,” said metal historian Eddie Trunk.
Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon and six children—Jessica, Louis and Elliot from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and Aimee, Kelly and Jack from his second marriage. He leaves behind not only an enduring musical catalog but a persona that became iconic in both music and pop culture.
In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone, Osbourne predicted how his death might be remembered. “I’ve done a lot for a simple working-class guy. I made a lot of people smile. I’ve also made a lot of people go, ‘Who the f— does this guy think he is?’ I guarantee that if I was to die tonight, tomorrow it would be, ‘Ozzy Osbourne, the man who bit the head off a bat, died in his hotel room … .’ I know that’s coming. But I’ve got no complaints. At least I’ll be remembered.”
Remembering a Legend
Ozzy Osbourne’s impact on the world of music, entertainment, and popular culture is undeniable. Rising from poverty in Birmingham to become the face of heavy metal, Osbourne defied expectations, reinvented himself across generations, and left behind a legacy marked by passion, resilience, and originality. His voice, his antics, and his music will remain etched into the memory of fans for decades to come.
