BIRMINGHAM, England – Ozzy Osbourne, the gravel-voiced singer whose wail powered Black Sabbath’s pioneering heavy metal sound and whose solo career redefined rock stardom, died Tuesday at age 76, his family 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,” the family said in a statement. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Osbourne’s death came just over two weeks after a triumphant final performance with Black Sabbath on July 5 at Birmingham’s Villa Park, where 45,000 fans filled the soccer stadium and 5.8 million more watched online. Seated on a leather throne due to mobility issues from Parkinson’s disease, a tearful Osbourne told the crowd, “You’ve got no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The reunion with bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward marked Black Sabbath’s first performance together in 20 years. Osbourne, dubbed the “Prince of Darkness,” delivered renditions of classics like “War Pigs,” “NIB,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.” Tributes from bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Alice in Chains followed, with covers of Sabbath and Osbourne solo tracks. Black Sabbath’s official Facebook page posted a simple tribute: “Ozzy Forever.”
Born John Michael Osbourne on Dec. 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England, he was the fourth of six children in a working-class family. A dyslexic who left school at 15, Osbourne toiled in factory jobs, including a slaughterhouse, and briefly served time for burglary. His path to stardom began in 1968 when he joined the Polka Tulk Blues Band, later renamed Black Sabbath after a Boris Karloff film. With Iommi, Butler, and Ward, Osbourne crafted a dark, sludgy sound that birthed heavy metal.
“I remember playing in the Crown Pub in Birmingham and thinking, ‘This will be good for a couple of years, drink a few beers and have a jam,’” Osbourne told the BBC in 2017. “We had a dream, and it came true beyond our wildest expectations.”
Black Sabbath’s 1970 self-titled debut reached the U.K. top 10 and No. 23 in the U.S. Their follow-up, “Paranoid,” topped U.K. charts and hit No. 12 in the U.S. Critics initially panned the band, with Robert Christgau calling their work “the worst of the counterculture on a plastic platter.” But fans embraced their raw sound and lyrics reflecting the Vietnam War era’s unrest, cementing their influence.
Osbourne’s distinctive voice was key. “His throaty delivery, reminiscent of old-time blues shouters, brings an unkempt directness to the genre,” said Mark Tavern, a music professor at the University of New Haven. “His raw, shrieking wail fit the band’s guitar-driven approach.”
Osbourne’s excesses, however, strained his bandmates. His prodigious drug and alcohol use—later studied by scientists who called him a “genetic mutant” for surviving it—led to his 1979 firing from Black Sabbath. Sharon Levy, daughter of the band’s manager Don Arden, became his manager and wife, steering him to solo success. His 1980 album “Blizzard of Ozz,” featuring “Crazy Train,” went multiplatinum, followed by “Diary of a Madman” in 1981. Tragedy struck in 1982 when guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash during the latter’s tour.
Osbourne’s notoriety grew with infamous acts, like biting the head off a live bat in 1982, which he claimed he thought was rubber, and urinating on the Alamo, for which he later apologized. PETA, while noting his animal rights advocacy, called him a “legend and a provocateur.” His antics, including snorting ants with Mötley Crüe, added to his legend.
Sharon Osbourne revived his career with Ozzfest, a metal festival running from 1996 to 2018, and “The Osbournes,” an MTV reality show from 2002 that introduced him to new audiences. “The show made him a household name beyond music,” said Robert Thompson of Syracuse University. It led to high-profile appearances, including performing at Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee.
Despite health struggles, including Parkinson’s and spinal surgeries, Osbourne reunited with Black Sabbath for tours and their 2013 album “13,” their only U.S. No. 1. His final show this month earned the critical respect long denied him. “He was a tremendous character and entertainer,” said heavy metal historian Eddie Trunk.
Osbourne is survived by his wife, Sharon, and six children: Jessica, Louis, and Elliot from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and Aimee, Kelly, and Jack from his marriage to Sharon. Reflecting on his life in 2002, Osbourne told Rolling Stone, “I’ve done a lot for a simple working-class guy. I made a lot of people smile. I’ve got no complaints. At least I’ll be remembered.”
