British heavy-metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, known for his dark stage persona and iconic role as lead singer of Black Sabbath, died on Tuesday at the age of 76 — just weeks after performing his farewell show. In a statement, his family said: “It is with more sadness than words can express that we share the news of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing this morning. He was surrounded by his family and love. We request privacy during this difficult time.”Osbourne’s death comes just weeks after what he had called his final live show. He had been struggling with health issues in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease, which he revealed in 2020.
Often seen in all black or shirtless on stage, Osbourne became known for his dark image and shocking behaviour, including once biting the head off a bat during a concert. Though controversial, he later showed a softer side on the reality show The Osbournes, which portrayed him as a caring father. Black Sabbath’s self-titled 1969 debut album is widely seen as the starting point of heavy metal music. Sabbath brought a darker, heavier sound to rock music. Their second album, Paranoid, included well-known songs like “Iron Man” and “War Pigs,” and became a key influence for generations of metal bands. Osbourne was removed from the band in 1979 due to his legendary excesses, like showing up late for rehearsals and missing gigs. He went on to launch a successful solo career, with hit albums like Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. His solo songs “Crazy Train” and “Flying High Again” remain fan favourites. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice—once with Sabbath in 2006 and again in 2024 as a solo artist. In July 2025, Osbourne reunited with the original members of Black Sabbath for his farewell show. Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool and many others performed at the concert, which drew tens of thousands of fans. Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo said, “I wouldn’t be here without Black Sabbath.”
