07/22/2025
Ozzy Osbourne, the notorious, magnetic frontman who gave heavy metal its most haunted voice, has died at the age of 76, just weeks after his final, celebratory concert. The Osbourne family shared the news with fans, saying Ozzy passed away “surrounded by love.”
With a career that could only be described as chaotic brilliance, Osbourne defined the sound and excesses of heavy metal. From the very beginning, as Black Sabbath’s lead singer, he channeled the world’s darkness into music that terrified parents and delighted generations of rebellious teens. The band’s 1969 debut, with its brooding cover and apocalyptic riffs, rewrote the rules of rock. Hits like “War Pigs” and “Paranoid” soon followed, earning Sabbath a place among the genre’s immortals.
But with notoriety came legendary trouble. Ozzy’s substance abuse led to his 1979 firing from Sabbath—a move even his bandmates admitted was necessary. Ever the survivor, Osbourne returned a year later with a solo career that produced anthems like “Crazy Train” and “Goodbye to Romance,” earning multi-platinum sales and a second induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Osbourne’s live shows became the stuff of rock mythology: biting the head off a bat (he thought it was fake), snorting ants, and even urinating on the Alamo. Lawsuits and protests followed, but so did Ozzfest, his now-legendary touring festival, which gave rise to the next generation of metal stars.
Through it all, Osbourne’s look never changed: long hair, black eyeliner, round glasses, and a cross necklace. And behind the persona was a surprisingly tender family man, as the reality series “The Osbournes” revealed to the world.
Ozzy’s influence was celebrated one last time at his 2025 farewell show in the UK, where a who’s who of rock royalty honored his legacy. He leaves behind a catalog of thunderous music, a legion of devoted fans, and a rock world forever changed by his madness.
Rest easy, Prince of Darkness. Rock will never be the same.
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Photo Credit: Zamrznuti tonovi / Shutterstock.com
