Ozzy Osbourne was the lead singer of Black Sabbath and a reality TV star alongside his family on ‘The Osbournes.’ Learn about his songs, children, and death. The last photos of Ozzy Osbourne before his death were of him performing at the Black Sabbath farewell show on July 5 in Birmingham, England. Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal legend who dominated rock for decades as a solo artist and member of Black Sabbath, has died at the age of 76. As Sabbath advanced, John Osbourne was usurped by the emerging Ozzy persona: a mad-eyed dervish whose head-banging stage presence was the perfect match for the band’s Panzer tank groove. “I think there’s a wildman in everybody,” he said once. “I’m a split personality. Ozzy Osbourne and John Osbourne are two different people. Ozzy Osbourne, the Black Sabbath frontman and solo star who helped pioneer the follow-around reality TV craze with MTV's 'The Osbournes,' died July 22 at 76. It's impossible to narrow down Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's most important and influential songs to just 15, but these are a good point of entry. Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal pioneer, dies at age 76 Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal legend who rose to fame in the pioneering group Black Sabbath, has died, his family said in a statement to CBS News. Ozzy Osbourne earned the nickname 'Prince of Darkness' during the early years of Black Sabbath. He died at 76. The title was linked to the bands dark themes and stage presence. Though Osbourne saw it as a joke, the name became part of his lasting public identity in heavy metal. After being fired from Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne (right) formed his own band and recorded "Blizzard of Ozz" in 1980 Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne, right, and Geezer Butler, left, accept the award after the band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during ceremonies on March 13, 2006, in New York. The history of the Ozzy Osbourne band is best understood as a series of distinct musical eras, each defined and architected by its lead guitarist. While Osbourne’s vocals provided a constant, iconic presence, the guitarist role was that of a primary co-writer and sonic visionary, fundamentally reshaping the band’s sound with each new arrival. After being fired from his band Black Sabbath, English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne began his solo career in 1979. His initial band comprised himself, guitarist Randy Rhoads (formerly of Quiet Riot), bassist Bob Daisley (formerly of Rainbow) and drummer Lee Kerslake (formerly of Uriah Heep). Keyboardist Don Airey was brought in temporarily to record on Osbourne's first album, Blizzard of The frontman, who with Black Sabbath helped pioneer heavy metal in 1970s England, always found new ways to reinvent himself. Ozzy Osbourne is an English heavy metal vocalist from Marston Green, Warwickshire. After he was fired from Black Sabbath early in 1979, Osbourne formed a solo band (initially known as Blizzard of Ozz) in November of that year with guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake. Since its inception, the group's personnel have changed frequently. The current lineup includes With his wailing vocal style and "prince of darkness" reputation, Ozzy led the band to become global stars - before he was fired, mainly because of his increasing dependency on drugs and alcohol. Ozzy Osbourne John Michael " Ozzy " Osbourne (3 December 1948 – 22 July 2025) was an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adopted the nickname " Prince of Darkness ". [6] Osbourne helped revolutionize rock music during his tenure with the band, releasing albums like Paranoid and Master of Reality that would define hard rock and heavy metal in the decades to come. That show was one of two times Osbourne performed in Fort Myers. In 1968, Osbourne co-founded Black Sabbath. He was the lead singer of the band until 1979. In 1980, he released his debut solo Ozzy Osbourne. Actor: Little Nicky. One of the pioneers of heavy metal and one of its most commercially successful and iconic artists, Ozzy Osbourne was born in Birmingham, England, as John Michael Osbourne. After leaving school and having many odd jobs, he ended up in a band with Geezer Butler. This group then split, leading Ozzy and Geezer to join Tony Iommi and Bill Ward in a new band that From left: Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Marcato, Sharon Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne and Jack Osbourne as part of “The Osbournes,” their pioneering reality TV series. Mark Weiss/MTV
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