Birmingham, UK – The world of music is in mourning following the passing of legendary Black Sabbath frontman and “Prince of Darkness,” Ozzy Osbourne. The iconic heavy metal singer died at the age of 76 on July 22, just weeks after a final, poignant performance with his bandmates in his hometown of Birmingham.
A statement from the Osbourne family confirmed his death, saying, “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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
The passing of Osbourne comes after years of well-documented health struggles. In 2020, he publicly revealed his diagnosis with a form of Parkinson’s disease, and his health had been a concern for fans worldwide ever since a fall in 2019 that required multiple surgeries. A recently obtained death certificate lists the cause of death as “out of hospital cardiac arrest” and “acute myocardial infarction,” with coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction listed as “joint causes.”
Born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, Birmingham, in 1948, he rose to global fame as the charismatic and theatrical vocalist for Black Sabbath. The band, formed in 1968, is widely credited with pioneering the heavy metal genre with its unique sound, dark lyrics, and powerful riffs. Osbourne’s distinctive voice and stage presence became synonymous with the band’s success on albums like Paranoid and Master of Reality. After being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979, he launched a hugely successful solo career, further cementing his status as a rock icon.
In recent years, Osbourne also found a new generation of fans through his starring role in the reality TV show, The Osbournes, offering a candid and often humorous look into his family life.
His final performance on July 5, where he was seated on a throne and joined by his Black Sabbath bandmates, was a fitting farewell to a career that spanned more than five decades. Ozzy’s legacy as a trailblazer of heavy metal, a relentless entertainer, and a beloved family man will undoubtedly live on, and his passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of rock and roll.
