Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath whose gleeful 'Prince of Darkness' image made him one of rock's most iconic figures, has died aged 76. A statement from the Osbourne family said: '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.' No cause of death was given, though he had experienced various health problems in recent years.
Osbourne's death comes less than three weeks after his final performance at the all-star farewell concert Back to the Beginning on 5 July, where he reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for the first time since 2005. Referring to his health issues, which included a form of Parkinson's and numerous spinal surgeries, he told the crowd: 'I've been laid up for six years, and you've got no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.'
Born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, Birmingham, in 1948, he rose from a tough working-class upbringing to co-found Black Sabbath in 1968. The band's heavy, industrial sound, influenced by their environment, revolutionised British rock. Their albums Paranoid (1970) and Master of Reality (1971) became foundation stones of heavy metal, with Paranoid topping the UK album chart.
After being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to his dependence on alcohol and drugs, Osbourne launched a successful solo career, starting with 1980's Blizzard of Ozz. He released 13 solo studio albums, the most recent being 2022's Patient Number 9. He also became a beloved reality TV star on The Osbournes, which aired from 2002 to 2005.
Osbourne's notorious incidents included biting the head off a dead bat during a 1982 concert in Des Moines, Iowa, mistakenly believing it was a stage prop. He also claimed to have bitten the heads off two doves during a 1981 record label meeting.
He is survived by his wife Sharon, with whom he had children Jack, Kelly, and Aimee, and two children from his first marriage to Thelma, Jessica and Louis.
