Ozzy Osbourne, who led Black Sabbath and became the godfather of heavy metal, dies at 76

Ozzy Osbourne, the gravel-voiced frontman of the groundbreaking band Black Sabbath--a figure who came to embody the dark, chaotic soul of heavy metal — died Tuesday at age 76, just weeks after his final farewell performance. Renowned for his hell-raising persona, occult-infused lyrics, and decades-long battle with addiction, Osbourne wasn't just a musician--he was heavy metal’s living, breathing id, a wild icon who turned personal demons into thunderous anthems.

Black Sabbath’s 1969 self-titled debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal. The band’s second album, “Paranoid,” included such classic metal tunes as “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Fairies Wear Boots.” The song “Paranoid” only reached No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 but became in many ways the band’s signature song. Both albums were voted among the top 10 greatest heavy metal albums of all time by readers of Rolling Stone magazine.

“Black Sabbath are the Beatles of heavy metal. Anybody who’s serious about metal will tell you it all comes down to Sabbath,” Dave Navarro of the band Jane’s Addiction wrote in a 2010 tribute in Rolling Stone. “There’s a direct line you can draw back from today’s metal, through Eighties bands like Iron Maiden, back to Sabbath.”

The original Sabbath lineup reunited for the first time in 20 years in July for what Osbourne said would be his final concert. “Let the madness begin!” he told 42,000 fans in Birmingham.

Metallica, Guns N Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Halestorm, Anthrax, Rival Sons and Mastodon all did sets. Tom Morello, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Billy Corgan, Ronnie Wood, Travis Barker, Sammy Hagar and more made appearances. Actor Jason Momoa was the host for the festivities.

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Source: https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-dies-adff88b55f1d3b0bace5705d58d3cdde

I’ll admit, I was never a die-hard Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath fan. Their music didn’t shape the core of my personal soundtrack, but their presence was always undeniable. I remember hearing staples like “Crazy Train” and “Paranoid” on rock radio and TV countdowns—songs that felt larger than life, pulsing with raw energy and defiance. By 1996, alternative music had fully taken over MTV, with artists like Smashing Pumpkins, Alanis Morissette, and Bush leading the charge. And yet, there was Ozzy—still in the mix, still relevant. I remember hearing “I Just Want You” from his Ozzmosis album that year, and it caught me off guard. It wasn’t the wild, unhinged Ozzy of earlier years—it was more introspective, aching, human. In a time when the music scene was shifting rapidly, he somehow carved out space for himself between the fading grunge movement and the rising tide of modern rock. Even if I wasn’t fully immersed in his world, I could see the throughline: Ozzy didn’t just ride the wave—he helped shape it, and he never really left.

I still remember hearing about Ozzfest on the radio. It sounded wild--a heavy metal festival that brought together some of the most intense and legendary rock acts, all under Ozzy’s chaotic umbrella. Just the name “Ozzfest” felt like a bold, rebellious invitation to step into his world of thrashing guitars, outrageous performances, and untamed energy. Even if you couldn’t go, just knowing it existed made you feel like you were part of something fierce and unforgettable.

Later on, “The Osbournes” reality show gave us a whole new view of Ozzy--not as the Prince of Darkness, but as a funny, confused, and strangely lovable dad wandering around his house mumbling things like “Sharon!” I watched it from time to time, cracking up at the chaos of their daily life. It made Ozzy feel more human--like yeah, he’s a rock god, but he’s also just a guy trying to find the remote control in his giant mansion.

With so many aging artists, it’s remarkable how many continue working until the very end, no matter what health challenges they face. I admire that about Ozzy. Living with Parkinson’s and still managing to tour just weeks before his passing speaks volumes—not just about his resilience, but about his dedication, his work ethic, and the deep love and loyalty he had for his fans. He gave everything he had until there was nothing left to give. That kind of commitment stays with you.

That duality—larger-than-life legend and everyday man—might be what made Ozzy so unforgettable in the end.