Ozzy Osbourne, the godfather of heavy metal and legendary frontman of Black Sabbath, has died at age 76—just weeks after sharing an emotional farewell with fans at Villa Park. The milestone concert, featuring Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, marked his final bow after decades of genre-defining music and infamous stage antics.
Tributes from around the world continue to honor Osbourne following his passing at the age of 76. From fellow musicians to public figures, the outpouring reflects the legendary impact of the Black Sabbath frontman.
Where did Ozzy Osbourne die?
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Ozzy Osbourne died in his native United Kingdom, his music publicist confirmed to the BBC.
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The Parkinson’s Foundation has shared a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne following the news of his passing.
Though Osbourne had lived in the United States since the early 2000s, his family maintained a home in Britain, where he was born in Birmingham in 1948.
In 1980, Ozzy Osbourne launched his solo career with Blizzard of Ozz, a thunderous debut that featured the now-iconic track Crazy Train. The album was a commercial triumph, eventually selling over 55 million copies worldwide and cementing Osbourne as a solo force in heavy metal.
But with fame came infamy. Osbourne’s outrageous behavior became legend—biting the heads off a dove and a bat, snorting ants, and urinating on the Alamo while wearing his wife’s dress. His substance abuse spiraled, leading to violent incidents and legal trouble, including a near-fatal altercation with his wife Sharon.
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Tragedy struck in 1982 when guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash, devastating Osbourne but not derailing his momentum. He continued to release hits, including Suicide Solution, which sparked a controversial lawsuit, and Mama, I’m Coming Home, his highest-charting solo ballad.
After being snubbed by Lollapalooza in 1995, Sharon Osbourne launched Ozzfest—a touring festival that ran until 2018 and became a staple of the metal scene. Through chaos and reinvention, Ozzy’s solo career proved as influential and unpredictable as his time with Black Sabbath.