Legendary steel singer Ozzy Osbourne died Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 76, surrounded by household. The Black Sabbath frontman, whose guttural vocals and tortured howls roughly invented heavy steel, handed away simply 17 days after his ultimate efficiency at Birmingham’s Villa Park, closing a 57-year profession that modified music without end.
“It’s with extra disappointment than mere phrases can convey that now we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has handed away this morning,” his household mentioned. “He was along with his household and surrounded by love.” Although no trigger was given, Osbourne had battled Parkinson’s illness since 2019.
A Farewell Match for a Prince (of Darkness)
His final present was pure theater. Seated on a black throne as a result of he may not stroll, Ozzy belted out “Paranoid” to 45,000 screaming followers at Villa Park on July 5. The unique Black Sabbath lineup—Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Invoice Ward—reunited for the primary time in 20 years. Metallica, Weapons N’ Roses, Slayer, and Device performed tribute units. The live performance raised £140 million for charity and drew 5.8 million livestream viewers worldwide.
“You’ve received no thought how I really feel,” Ozzy instructed the gang, mascara streaking down his cheeks. It was Birmingham come full circle. This was the identical metropolis the place 4 manufacturing facility youngsters stumbled into creating heavy steel as a band all the way in which again in 1968.
The Sound That Shook the World
Black Sabbath was born from Birmingham’s industrial decay, and the band turned town’s financial desperation into sonic revolution. Tony Iommi’s manufacturing facility accident pressured him to make use of lighter strings and tune down. Geezer Butler’s supernatural nighttime imaginative and prescient impressed their title and darkish lyrics. Invoice Ward’s thunderous drums and Ozzy’s haunting voice accomplished the equation.
Their 1970 debut, which was wholly recorded in a brisk 12-hour session in late 1969, opened with the tritone (aka the “satan’s interval”), which was banned by medieval church buildings. That ominous three-note riff from “Black Sabbath” created the DNA for each doom, stoner, and steel band that adopted. Critics hated it. Children cherished it. The album hit UK #8 and US #23 with none radio play.
The group’s second album, “Paranoid,” sealed the deal. “Iron Man,” “Struggle Pigs,” and “Paranoid”— the latter written in 25 minutes as throwaway filler—grew to become steel’s holy trinity. Rolling Stone now calls it the best steel album ever made. These early information established the whole lot: tritone dissonance, down-tuned guitars, occult themes, and Ozzy’s melodic-yet-menacing vocals.
Solo Stardom
Getting fired from Sabbath in 1979 ought to have ended issues. As a substitute, Ozzy pulled off rock’s best comeback. “Blizzard of Ozz” (1980) spawned “Loopy Prepare”—now 4x platinum with 438 million Spotify streams—and “Mr. Crowley.” Randy Rhoads’ neo-classical guitar wizardry elevated Ozzy from heavy steel singer to rock icon.
Randy’s loss of life in 1982 devastated Ozzy, however his potential to draw world-class guitarists by no means wavered. Jake E. Lee delivered area anthems. Zakk Wylde’s 22-year partnership produced “No Extra Tears” (1991)—5x platinum and Ozzy’s masterpiece. Even within the 2020s, his Submit Malone collaboration “Take What You Need” hit Billboard’s High 10, making a 30-year hole between hits (the longest in chart historical past).
9 High 10 albums throughout 5 a long time. Over 100 million information offered. Twin Rock Corridor inductions (one with Sabbath, one solo). 5 Grammy wins, together with latest honors for “Affected person Quantity 9.” The numbers inform the story: Ozzy didn’t simply survive the music enterprise—he conquered it.
The Voice
Ozzy’s vocals created the heavy steel template. Whereas others screamed, he sang darkish melodies that mirrored Iommi’s riffs like a second guitar. His vibrato conveyed menace with out dropping melody. Educational sources verify “conventional doom steel vocalists favor clear vocals, typically patterned off Ozzy Osbourne’s early Black Sabbath recordings.”
That voice influenced everybody from Metallica’s James Hetfield to fashionable steel acts that studied his mystical (and practically legendary) approach. The haunting high quality completely complemented Iommi’s revolutionary guitar work completely, making a darkish alchemy that has gone practically unmatched throughout everything of steel historical past. Each steel singer since owes him a debt.
Wizard of Ozzfest
Ozzfest modified the whole lot. After Lollapalooza rejected him in 1996, Sharon Osbourne created a touring steel pageant constructed round her husband. It grew to become a $100 million juggernaut that launched Slipknot, Disturbed, System of a Down, and numerous others. “So far as steel festivals in America, they’re all sort of ‘Son of Ozzfest,’” says Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe.
The pageant’s blueprint unfold worldwide. Not solely did Ozzy carry out as a heavy steel artist, he really set the template. His theatrical stage presence, from bat-biting incidents (an accident, as he thought it was a faux rubber one) and his famed “Prince of Darkness” persona mixed to ascertain the steel frontman archetype. Later, The Osbournes actuality present humanized steel tradition for mainstream audiences with out diluting its energy.
The tributes say the whole lot. Tony Iommi: “I simply can’t imagine it! There gained’t ever be one other like him. We’ve misplaced our brother.” Metallica posted a wordless picture with a damaged coronary heart. Aerosmith known as him “a voice that modified music without end.”
Gene Simmons, who toured with Sabbath in 1975, remembered Ozzy’s kindness: “A pure human being, nonjudgmental. I’ve by no means heard Ozzy say something unhealthy about anyone.” Girl Gaga wore an Ozzy shirt at her San Francisco present. The Parkinson’s Basis praised his braveness in sharing his prognosis.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Ozzy Osbourne remodeled working-class rage into anthemic energy. He gave darkness melody, made rebel mainstream, and created a persona that influenced all steel that got here after him. From Birmingham manufacturing facility flooring to world stardom, he proved genuine imaginative and prescient can change the whole lot.
Heavy steel will proceed, nevertheless it misplaced its founding father Tuesday. The style he helped create carries his legacy ahead. The Prince of Darkness has ascended, however his reign over steel’s kingdom echoes without end.
Take a look at these Spotify playlists for a few of Ozzy’s largest and greatest songs:
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