Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne, born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, England, on 3 December 1948, rose to prominence as the lead singer of Black Sabbath, the band he co-founded in 1968. Known as the “Prince of Darkness,” he was widely credited as a pioneer of heavy metal. His vocal presence helped define Black Sabbath’s early run, which included its self-titled 1970 debut, Paranoid later that year, and Master of Reality in 1971. He appeared on the group’s first eight studio albums before being dismissed in 1979 amid problems with alcohol and other drugs.

He launched his solo career in the 1980s with a band featuring guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Bob Daisley. Their first two albums, Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981), began a solo catalogue that ultimately comprised 13 studio albums. The first seven were certified multi-platinum in the United States. Osbourne also returned to Black Sabbath several times, notably from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2012. During the latter reunion, he sang on the band’s final studio album, 13, released in 2013, before its farewell tour concluded in 2017.

With his wife and manager Sharon Osbourne, he was also connected to Ozzfest, the heavy metal touring festival she founded. Held annually from 1996 to 2010, it brought together metal acts under a festival banner associated with Osbourne’s name. Beyond music, he became a television figure through MTV’s The Osbournes, which ran from 2002 to 2005 and featured Sharon and their children Kelly and Jack. He later appeared with family members in Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour and The Osbournes Want to Believe.

Across his solo career and work with Black Sabbath, Osbourne sold more than 100 million albums. He entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Black Sabbath in 2006 and as a solo artist in 2024, and was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame both with the band and on his own in 2005. His honours also included stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham Walk of Stars, the MTV Europe Music Awards’ Global Icon Award in 2014, and the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2015. On 5 July 2025, he gave his final performance at Birmingham’s Back to the Beginning concert, citing health issues. He died on 22 July 2025.