Ozzy Osbourne, the singular metal legend whose Black Sabbath virtually invented heavy metal and in later years became a reality TV pioneer, died on Tuesday at the age of 76.
Osbourne’s family confirmed his death in a statement. “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,” they said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
An exact cause of death was not given, though Osbourne has battled an array of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night tumble in 2019.
The singer had an electrifying and unpredictable onstage presence and a dry sense of humor that endeared him to hordes of adoring fans. His excitable energy helped transform the anthems he sang — “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “Crazy Train” — from radio hits into sports-stadium staples. As a member of Black Sabbath, he helped draft the blueprints for heavy metal, but in conversation, he was always humble about his contributions to music. He knew his limitations and was open about his addictions, but he always attempted to better himself. He was an underdog everyone would want to rally behind.
As Black Sabbath’s doomsayer-in-chief, Osbourne could summon a true sense of terror in his keening cries in a way that heightened the band’s muscular dirges. When he bellowed, “What is this that stands before me, figure in black which points at me?” in the song “Black Sabbath,” it was a performance worthy of a horror flick. He sang “Iron Man,” about a scorned golem seeking revenge, with believable wrath. And when he screeched, “Dreams turn to nightmares, Heaven turns to Hell,” in “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” it was with a demonic fury not even Milton could have summoned. He made sense of his bandmates’ heavy swagger and brought their supernatural racket back down to earth in a way that has resonated with millions for decades.
He hosted a massive concert just a few weeks ago. It’s great that he got his well-deserved tribute while he was still alive.
* My brother Devin and I went to see Ozzy during the 2017 eclipse. Some video I took…
* One of my favorite Black Sabbath songs. Turn it up…
I still love how he said he thought he was watching a real documentary, when he first screened This is Spinal Tap. As always with Ozzie you can never be quite sure how much he was telling the truth and how much he was playing with his image, but he was so entertaining either way.
Was a bit too young to grow up with Ozzy, but came to love Black Sabbath in my late-teens while I was learning electric guitar. Honored to see Black Sabbath when they reunited for Lollapalooza in 2012, they really pretty on an incredible show.
Highly recommend all go check out the Sabbath footage from 1970 in Paris. It’s on youtube.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:47 pm:
I remember the lore being that he wasn’t a very good musician at all when he started but his dad gave him funds to buy a big PA speaker system and so he got into his first band because he was the only bloke who had the sound gear. I like that story whether it’s true or not because it shows an entrepreneurial spirit and can-do attitude.l of “just play now, get better as you go, but just get out there and start doing something.” I have adopted that idea for myself and it works.
My age group knows him more for his Ozzfest tour and MTV show, but his passing still means more than I expected it to. When I heard the news I was immediately compelled to put on “Mama I’m Coming Home” R.I.P.
Ozzy was an icon. His early albums were a major soundtrack in my teens and I still enjoy his solo work along with Black Sabbath at 58 y.o. I loved him as much as a person can love someone they’ve never met. My heart is very heavy today. Godspeed Ozzy!
When I went out for lunch today to pick up my usual Tuesday Pad Thai, “No more tears” came on the radio and I enjoyed blasting it at full volume on the drive home.
The guitar in that song is great. The tempo changes in that song are great. The bass in that song is great. The lyrics in that song are great. Everything in that song is great.
I didn’t know he had passed until I came back home.
- Leo from Dolton - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 3:29 pm:
I attended the Black and Blue Tour back in the day. It was beyond crazy. Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult.
==== his dad gave him funds to buy a big PA speaker system and so he got into his first band because he was the only bloke who had the sound gear====
Give Us Barabbas, I’ve never heard that about Ozzy (I could easily be wrong, however), but that’s the story that’s been told about David Lee Roth getting the front-man job in Van Halen.
- hmmm - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:20 pm:
For those about to rock, we salute you.
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:24 pm:
A true pioneer in metal. I grew up on Black Sabbath and it just feels strange that he is gone. RIP
- ZC - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:29 pm:
I still love how he said he thought he was watching a real documentary, when he first screened This is Spinal Tap. As always with Ozzie you can never be quite sure how much he was telling the truth and how much he was playing with his image, but he was so entertaining either way.
- Dotnonymous x - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:32 pm:
Ozzy Osborne was a sane man in an insane World.
- TreeFiddy - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:42 pm:
Was a bit too young to grow up with Ozzy, but came to love Black Sabbath in my late-teens while I was learning electric guitar. Honored to see Black Sabbath when they reunited for Lollapalooza in 2012, they really pretty on an incredible show.
- sulla - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:42 pm:
Highly recommend all go check out the Sabbath footage from 1970 in Paris. It’s on youtube.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:47 pm:
I remember the lore being that he wasn’t a very good musician at all when he started but his dad gave him funds to buy a big PA speaker system and so he got into his first band because he was the only bloke who had the sound gear. I like that story whether it’s true or not because it shows an entrepreneurial spirit and can-do attitude.l of “just play now, get better as you go, but just get out there and start doing something.” I have adopted that idea for myself and it works.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:50 pm:
My age group knows him more for his Ozzfest tour and MTV show, but his passing still means more than I expected it to. When I heard the news I was immediately compelled to put on “Mama I’m Coming Home” R.I.P.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 2:56 pm:
Ozzy was an icon. His early albums were a major soundtrack in my teens and I still enjoy his solo work along with Black Sabbath at 58 y.o. I loved him as much as a person can love someone they’ve never met. My heart is very heavy today. Godspeed Ozzy!
- TheInvisibleMan - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 3:03 pm:
When I went out for lunch today to pick up my usual Tuesday Pad Thai, “No more tears” came on the radio and I enjoyed blasting it at full volume on the drive home.
The guitar in that song is great. The tempo changes in that song are great. The bass in that song is great. The lyrics in that song are great. Everything in that song is great.
I didn’t know he had passed until I came back home.
- Leo from Dolton - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 3:29 pm:
I attended the Black and Blue Tour back in the day. It was beyond crazy. Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult.
- Baloneymous - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 3:32 pm:
RIP you crazy wonderful man
- Mike Sorensen - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 3:41 pm:
==== his dad gave him funds to buy a big PA speaker system and so he got into his first band because he was the only bloke who had the sound gear====
Give Us Barabbas, I’ve never heard that about Ozzy (I could easily be wrong, however), but that’s the story that’s been told about David Lee Roth getting the front-man job in Van Halen.
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 4:00 pm:
Ozzy and Randy finally reunited.
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 4:03 pm:
I remember hearing War Pigs at a pretty young age and being absolutely terrified by it. RIP
- Occasionally Moderated - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 4:14 pm:
Occasionally Moderated’s mom put an immediate stop to his attempted purchase of Sabbath Boody Sabbath, likely in a K-Mart record aisle.
- Sublime Blasphemy - Tuesday, Jul 22, 25 @ 7:40 pm:
I am unsure whether this funk cover of Crazy Train is sublime or blasphemy. Thoughts?
https://youtu.be/qpZKh7UO6e8?si=fAw5zggt-bGm_OV3