Ozzy Osbourne, iconic Black Sabbath frontman and British heavy metal pioneer, dies at 76

No cause of death was shared, though Osbourne had been dealing with serious health issues in recent years.

Osbourne passed away less than three weeks after appearing at a retirement concert in Birmingham. The 5 July “Back to the Beginning” event brought him together with fellow Black Sabbath members for the first time in years. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told the crowd, referring to his long illness. “I’ve been laid up for six years, and you’ve got no idea how I feel.”

Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, he rose to fame as the frontman of Black Sabbath in the 1970s. The band’s early albums, including Paranoid and Master of Reality, helped shape the heavy metal genre with their dark, heavy sound.

 

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Osbourne also found success as a solo artist, releasing 11 studio albums. His debut solo album Blizzard of Ozz sold millions of copies in the US. He collaborated with a range of artists, including Elton John and Post Malone.

Over the years, Osbourne made headlines for incidents such as biting the head off a bat on stage in 1982, which led to a precautionary rabies shot. He later said he thought the bat was a toy thrown by a fan.

His personal life, including struggles with addiction and mental health, was widely publicised. In 1989, he was arrested for trying to harm his wife Sharon Osbourne while under the influence. The couple later reconciled.

In the early 2000s, he became a reality TV star through The Osbournes, a programme showing the family’s day-to-day life. It was a major hit in the US and UK.

Osbourne was diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s disease in 2005 and underwent various surgeries in later years, including treatment on his spine. In 2023, he cancelled planned concerts due to poor health, saying he felt “physically weak”.

His last public performance was earlier this month in Birmingham, where he told fans, “I am Iron Man – go crazy!” He is survived by his wife Sharon, their children Kelly, Jack and Aimee, and two children from a previous marriage.