,type=downsize)
Just weeks after Black Sabbath's "Back to the Beginning" final reunion, Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76. The heavy metal legend who helped shape the sound of rock for over five decades is truly an icon that will never be forgotten.
© GettyHis family confirmed the news Tuesday morning, saying he passed “surrounded by love.” “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,” they wrote in a statement signed by his wife Sharon Osbourne, and their children Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Louis, whose mom is Thelma Riley. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time.” Ozzy was also the father of Jessica, from his first marriage to Riley.
© GettyHis passing comes 17 days after the Prince of Darkness took the stage alongside the original Black Sabbath lineup: Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, for the first time in 20 years. The historic farewell was exactly the kind of emotional, full-circle, and out-with-a-bang sendoff only Ozzy could’ve pulled off.
© GettyLegends never die
© GettyOzzy wasn’t just the bat-biting frontman of Black Sabbath. He brought darkness, humor, and chaos to the mainstream as a pioneer of heavy metal. From the band’s debut in 1970 to solo hits like “Crazy Train” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” Ozzy was a musical genius.
A survivor, Ozzy's life was full of ups and downs. He battled decades of drug and alcohol addiction, survived multiple overdoses, near-fatal injuries, rabies shots, arrests, lawsuits, and lived under a tabloid microscope. "I overdosed on drugs many times, so I am lucky to be here anyway. I've had so many brushes with death that I'm the Comeback Kid. If I was a cat, I'd have 33 lives," he told The Sun in 2019.
He also helped reinvent the idea of a rockstar, not just as a performer, but as a person. In the 2000s, The Osbournes brought a new crazy train to reality TV as they stepped into the role of suburban dad. A foul-mouthed, gothic, and at times confused, mumbling entertainer that was all too relatable. A whole generation met him through the chaos of MTV, and would fall in love with him.
© GettyOf course, there is no one mourning more than his family. Through it all, one constant was his wife, Sharon. His wife, manager, and partner in chaos, the two of them endured scandals, health scares, and fame at its most intrusive. They just quietly celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on July 4, the day before Ozzy’s final reunion show. The timing of it all feels cosmic.
The rocker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019 and had been struggling with his health over the years, including multiple surgeries and a spinal injury. He officially retired from touring in 2023.
© GettyDespite his fame, Ozzy always spoke of his children as his greatest joy. He got to witness his daughter Kelly get engaged to Slipknot musician Sid Wilson, with whom she shares a son. Wilson proposed to her backstage at the reunion show, and in one of the last clips of Ozzy, he hilariously tells Sid before he pops the question, "f**k off, you're not marrying my daughter."
What adds an extra layer to the moment is that Kelly would probably never have met Sid if it weren't for her dad. They have known each other for over 20 years, first meeting in 1999 when Slipknot and Ozzy headlined Ozzfest.
Now, after one final show, one last family moment, and a legacy no one can touch, Ozzy is at rest.
