He knew who he was and what he did best, and he stuck with it.
That’s why Ozzy Osbourne became a rock icon, and today, he sadly passed away at 76-years old. In a statement shared via The Sun, it is reported that he went “surrounded by love”:
“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. 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.”
Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at age 76. 🕊️🖤 pic.twitter.com/mqA31Wb74I
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) July 22, 2025
The rock icon and heavy metal pioneer, also known as the Prince of Darkness, reunited with the original members of Black Sabbath just two weeks ago for the first time in two decades for his final show in Birmingham, England. He had tons of special guests from the rock world also perform, and of course he came out in a bat chair… but the iconic rocker was seated throughout the show, as he revealed back in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
He told fans before playing their final song that their support has meant the world to him, and he thanked them from the bottom of his heart for everything, and he was joined onstage alongside original Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward and guitarist Tony Iommi:
“Your support over the years has made it all possible for us to live the lifestyle we live. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you. We love you.”
It was a very different side of the man who has been known more as a larger-than-life, rock and roll icon. No doubt about it, he worked hard and played harder, fully embodying that cliche “sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll” lifestyle. But possibly the most emotional moment was when he delivered an extremely emotional rendition of “Mama I’m Coming Home,” which was inspired by his longtime wife, Sharon.
The footage might even bring a tear to your eye, especially knowing now that he was just weeks away from death, and the top comment on the viral video of it sums it up best:
“They should release this version, this is how it was meant to be heard, with the weight of a life lived full behind it.”
He has built quite a legacy for himself, but it’s really neat to see the very human side of someone who was rarely seen that way in the public eye:
@matheusmelosil #ozzyosbourne #backtothebeginning #blacksabbath #rocknroll #fyp #fyppp #foryoupage #villapark #lasttime ♬ som original – Good Vibe Rock | Matheus Melo
While the news of his death is obviously very sad, as Osbourne is a music icon who left a mark on generations of fans all over the world, his music will certainly live on and his life story itself is inspiring considering what he came from to becoming one of the most famous musicians of all-time. Osbourne was born in Birmingham, England, to a factory worker mother and toolmaker father. He in and his five siblings in a two-bedroom house in Aston, and Osbourne has spoken before about the intense bullying, and worse, he endured in school.
He left school at 15, working in a car factory and slaughterhouse before ultimately forming Rare Breed in late 1967 with Geezer Butler. Not long after in 1968, they, along with Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, officially started Black Sabbath. The rest, as they say, is history, but it’s not just music that people think of when they hear his name.
From the infamous bat story, to the many stories about things he’s done to his longtime wife Sharon Osbourne, the lore about him is beyond belief, and as pretty much everyone knows, he had a very bad drug problem for most of his life. I’ll be honest, the first real memories of him I have were watching the reality show The Osbourne’s, which aired on MTV from 2002 to 2005. Obviously, he was a dad to teenagers at this time and not quite the young rock and roller he once was, and I found him so incredibly funny and endearing.
He was far from perfect, but beloved by so many music lovers around the world, and even when he went solo, he continued to build his legacy as one of the absolute greatest to ever do it. But he never thought about branching outside of his genre, and he certainly never thought about “going country” like so many others, particularly in rock, have done.
During a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Steven Tyler had just put out his debut solo studio album We’re All Somebody from Somewhere, which was heavily country-inspired, and so the mag wanted to know if Ozzy had similar ambitions.
Well, as you can imagine, that was out of the question, because the “Prince of Darkness” was not meant for a cowboy hat, and he’s a “rock & roller, not a f******* country bumpkin”:
“Not me, thank you. Personally, I think you should stick to what you know best. If Steven’s having a good time with it, who am I to complain? But it would be absurd for me to do that. I don’t mind country, but the ‘Prince of Darkness’ with a cowboy hat? I’m a rock & roller, not a f****** country bumpkin.”
Just classic, and I completely respect the fact that he always knew the artist he was and never tried to be or do something different just for the sake of doing it… he didn’t chase trends, and he wasn’t swayed by outside influence. That’s not something most artists can say, regardless of their legacy or popularity. Though I’ll be honest, I kind would’ve loved to hear what it would’ve sounded like. Even just a cover.
But just because Osbourne didn’t want to sing country, didn’t mean he didn’t like it, and it certainly didn’t mean he wasn’t friendly with some of country music’s greatest talents, most notably the one and only Johnny Cash. The two met in rehab in the 80’s when they were both getting treatment for their respective drug problems, and Ozzy reportedly once said in an interview:
“I met Johnny Cash in rehab, and he was just so cool. I mean, here’s this guy who’s done everything I’ve done—drugs, booze—but he still had this aura about him. He gave me hope.”
There will certainly never be another Ozzy Osbourne, there’s no question about that.
Rest in Peace, Ozzy.
