Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic frontman of Black Sabbath and star of the hit MTV reality series 'The Osbournes,' died Tuesday at the age of 76. The Osbourne family confirmed the loss in a statement, saying he was "surrounded by love."
No cause of death was given, but the rock legend had long battled a rare genetic condition called Parkinsonism. As the music world and devoted fans mourn his passing, many are turning their attention to his eldest daughter, Aimee Osbourne, the quiet Osbourne, urging her to continue his legacy in her own way.
While she has largely avoided the spotlight, Aimee has gradually returned to public life in recent years, carving out a creative identity on her own terms. On Instagram, where she documents her music projects, fans flooded her comments with condolences and encouragement.
© Mark Sullivan“I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, your father’s legacy will live on forever, through his music and yours," one person wrote. Others asked Aimee to release new music. “I need new music from you please! Love everything. I would instantly buy a digital release, CDs or vinyls!” one user posted.
“Aimee, when are you going to release more music?” another added, "My deepest condolences for the loss of your amazing dad. He was a legend and will be sadly missed sending you nothing but all the love and support to your entire family."
Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham, England, on December 3, 1948, Ozzy co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968. He went on to find success in his solo career after his split from Black Sabbath, earning him 13 platinum albums.
'The Osbournes,' which aired in 2002, turned him into a mainstream household name, portraying him as a family man. “All the stuff onstage, the craziness, it’s all just a role that I play, my work,” he once told The New York Times in 1992. “I am not the Antichrist. I am a family man.”
© Patrick McMullanStill, not every family member joined. While Kelly and Jack became reality TV stars overnight, Aimee made the tough decision to walk away from it all. At just 16, she left home to avoid appearing on the show.
“I’m not some weirdo depressed daughter that’s afraid of the world and locks herself in her room all day; I just didn’t choose to do the show,” she explained during a US television interview, as reported by The Mirror.
© eddie sandersonShe added, “I want to be a singer, and I felt if I’d stayed with the Osbournes and done the whole thing, I would have been typecast right away.” Sharon Osbourne later admitted she deeply regrets how things unfolded.
“She felt too that she didn’t want to grow up on camera. She hated the idea — it was appalling to her,” Sharon revealed on The Talk in 2018. “And so she left at 16 and I regret every day that she did. It broke my heart when she moved.”
© Jeffrey MayerIn 2021, Kelly Osbourne acknowledged the disconnect between the sisters. “We don’t talk,” Kelly said on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast. “We’re just really different. She doesn’t understand me and I don’t understand her.”
© Jeff KravitzAimee had previously hinted at that distance. “I wouldn’t say there is an ease between us, but there is an acceptance. Do we socialise? No,” she told The Independent in 2015.
In 2023, Aimee marked a milestone in her career, recording for the first time at Abbey Road Studios. The emotional post reflected on a year full of “heartbreak and twists and turns,” but also hope.
