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Rock icon Ozzy Osbourne dead at 76, tributes pour in
Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal legend who helped define a genre and captivated audiences for more than five decades, has died. He was 76.
The Osbourne family released a statement Tuesday confirming the death, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. A cause of death was not provided. Osbourne had struggled with a range of health issues in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease and spinal injuries that forced him to retire from touring.
Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham, England, in 1948, he rose to fame in the 1970s as the lead singer of Black Sabbath. With hits like Paranoid, Iron Man and War Pigs, the band helped forge the dark, sludgy sound of heavy metal. Osbourne’s distinct wail and theatrical stage presence made him a standout in a genre not short on spectacle.
He was fired from the band in 1979 amid struggles with drug and alcohol addiction but went on to a hugely successful solo career. His 1980 debut Blizzard of Ozz went multi-platinum and cemented his place as a metal legend. He gained further notoriety for biting the head off a bat during a concert and was later arrested for attempting to strangle his wife, Sharon Osbourne, while in a drug-induced state. The two later reconciled and remained married.
In the 2000s, Osbourne reached a new generation of fans through the hit reality series The Osbournes, which offered a chaotic, often hilarious glimpse into the family’s daily life. Despite ongoing health battles, he continued performing until his final public concert in July, reuniting with his Black Sabbath bandmates for a farewell show in Birmingham titled Back to the Beginning.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Elton John called him a trailblazer and one of the funniest people he had ever met. Fans remember Osbourne not just for his music, but for his resilience, eccentricity and the raw honesty he brought to every stage he stood on.
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