Ozzy Osbourne, the Godfather of Heavy Metal, died on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003 and emphysema in 2020. Per a statement from the family, Osbourne passed surrounded by family. He was 76 years old.

Known as the Prince of Darkness, Osbourne was the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, he was also a solo artist, a songwriter, and media personality. He was famous for shocking onstage behavior, including biting the head off a bat one time and throwing raw meat on concert attendees.

He was born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Warwickshire, England. Osbourne learned that he had dyslexia when he was a child, and after he was sexually abused by school bullies, he attempted suicide when he was a teenager. He discovered rock music through the Beatles and became interested in pursuing a career in music. Osbourne left school when he was 15 and worked in construction, plumbing, at a slaughterhouse, and similar jobs, then he was arrested for robbing a clothing store and spent six weeks in prison when he was 17.

His first experience playing with a band was with bassist Geezer Butler in Rare Breed. Then in 1968, he was a founding member of Black Sabbath with Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward. Osbourne provided lead vocals for their self-titled first album in 1970, hit albums like Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, through Never Say Die! in ’78. His voice is heard on popular tracks like “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “Crazy Train.”

Osbourne was fired from the band in ’79 because of his alcohol and drug problems. A year later, he began his solo career with Blizzard of Ozz, followed by 12 more studio albums, including seven that went multi-platinum. Over the years, he got back together with Black Sabbath for special events and rejoined the band in 1997. He was part of the band’s final studio album, 13, and went on their farewell tour that ended in 2017.

In the early 2000s, Osbourne, his wife Sharon, and their children Kelly and Jack, starred in the reality TV series The Osbournes. He also starred in the TV series Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour with Jack and Kelly, and The Osbournes Want to Believe with Sharon and Jack.

Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a part of Black Sabbath in 2006 and as a solo artist in 2024. He was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame as a solo performer and with Black Sabbath in 2005, was honored with a start on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and given the Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

Osbourne performed his final show on July 5, just 17 days before his death.