Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath and one of the founding fathers of heavy metal, has died at the age of 76, his family confirmed in a statement to The Sun Tuesday (July 22) afternoon. 

"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," the Osbourne family shared. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." 

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Osbourne had been battling Parkinson’s disease since 2019, a diagnosis his wife Sharon Osbourne publicly confirmed during a February 2025 appearance. Despite his health struggles, including multiple spinal surgeries and difficulty walking, the music legend never lost his voice or his spirit.

Earlier this month, Osbourne gave fans an emotional final performance during a Black Sabbath reunion at Birmingham’s Villa Park – not far from where the band was originally formed in 1968. Seated on a black leather throne, he addressed the 45,000 fans in attendance and nearly 6 million watching online.

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"You've got no idea how I feel," he said, his voice cracking. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." 

Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England, Ozzy came from humble beginnings. He left school at 15 and had a unconventional upbringing. He worked at a  slaughterhouse, before serving a short prison sentence for burglary. In 1968, he joined forces with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward to form Black Sabbath, a band that would go on to change rock music forever.

Their self-titled debut album released in 1970 became a defining moment for heavy metal, followed by the critically acclaimed Paranoid, which topped the U.K. charts and reached No. 12 in the U.S. Osbourne’s haunting vocals and theatrical stage presence, infamous for antics like biting the head off a bat, earned him the nickname “Prince of Darkness.”

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“Black Sabbath wasn’t a band that was created by some big mogul guy,” Osbourne told the BBC in 2017. “It was four guys who went, ‘Let’s have a go.’ We had a dream, and it came true beyond our wildest expectations.”

Beyond music, Osbourne became a pop culture icon thanks to The Osbournes, the wildly successful MTV reality series that showcased the chaos and charm of his home life with wife Sharon and their children. Osbourne didn’t just create heavy metal. He was heavy metal.

Photo Credit: @ozzyosbourne on Instagram.