OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH ICON AND HEAVY METAL PIONEER, DIES AT 76

Ozzy Osbourne, the trailblazing lead vocalist of Black Sabbath and one of the most influential figures in rock history, has died at the age of 76, his family has announced.

“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 family statement. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

The cause of death has not yet been made public.

Osbourne’s death comes just weeks after he shared the stage with fellow Black Sabbath members Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward during a reunion concert in Birmingham, England. The performance, titled Back to the Beginning, was widely seen as a farewell appearance.

Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, he rose from humble beginnings to global fame. After leaving school at 15 and working various jobs — including in a slaughterhouse he co-founded Black Sabbath in 1969. The band’s early albums, Black Sabbath and Paranoid, are considered milestones in the development of heavy metal.

Osbourne’s theatrical stage persona and controversial behavior, including a notorious incident in 1982 where he bit the head off a bat, earned him both fame and infamy. Despite struggles with substance abuse that led to his departure from Black Sabbath in 1979, he launched a successful solo career, releasing over a dozen studio albums.

In the early 2000s, he became a household name once again through the reality TV show The Osbournes, which offered an unfiltered look at his family life and introduced him to a new generation of fans.

Throughout his career, Osbourne collected multiple awards, including Grammy wins for both solo and group performances. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Black Sabbath in 2006, and again in 2024 for his solo work.

Osbourne was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020 and underwent multiple surgeries in recent years, some of which left him in chronic pain and limited his ability to perform. Despite this, he remained hopeful about returning to the stage. In a 2023 interview, he said, “If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.’”

He is survived by his wife Sharon, six children, and an enduring musical legacy that continues to shape rock and metal music worldwide.