Sir Elton John has led tributes to Ozzy Osbourne, describing the late Black Sabbath frontman as a 'huge trailblazer' who 'secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods'. The music legend died on Tuesday at the age of 76, prompting an outpouring of grief from fellow musicians, celebrities and politicians.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Sir Elton wrote: 'So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.'
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who joined Osbourne at Black Sabbath's final gig at Villa Park in Birmingham earlier this month, posted on X: 'I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.' Singer Yungblud, who performed at the farewell concert, said he was 'heartbroken' and called Osbourne 'the greatest of all time'.
Rock bands Motorhead, Metallica and AC/DC also paid tribute. Motorhead recalled the friendship between Osbourne and their late vocalist Lemmy, calling his loss 'seismic'. Metallica shared a heartbreak emoji with a photo of the band alongside Osbourne, while AC/DC described his death as a 'great loss to all that loved him'.
Other tributes came from former footballer Sir David Beckham, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, US actor Adam Sandler, and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who said Osbourne was 'one of the greatest gifts my city gave the world'.
