Shock and sorrow across the globe
Following the official announcement, tributes poured in from music icons and fans alike. Elton John, Rod Stewart, Gene Simmons, IceāT, David Coverdale, and many more publicly mourned the āPrince of Darkness,ā celebrating his indelible contribution to rock and heavy metal music . Fans took to social media in disbeliefāsome stunned at his sudden passing just weeks after his farewell reunion, others moved by the timing and emotional weight of his swan song .
A farewell worthy of his legacy
On July 5, 2025, Ozzy delivered his final performance as part of Black Sabbathās āBack to the Beginningā concert at Villa Park in Birmingham, his birthplace. Sitting on a throne due to advanced Parkinsonās disease, he still delivered an emotional set alongside fellow legends and supporting acts like Metallica, Slayer, and Guns Nā Roses . The concert doubled as a benefit, raising millions for Parkinsonās research and local charities .
Battling Parkinsonās and embracing goodbye
Ozzyās health struggles were public. Diagnosed with Parkinsonās in early 2020 and later diagnosed with emphysema, his mobility declined significantly; by 2025, he could no longer stand and had ceased touring after a major spinal operation . Despite grave rumors in July about assisted suicide pacts and other conspiracies, daughter Kelly Osbourne strongly denied these, asserting her father āis not dyingā until his actual passing days later .
A legacy that reverberates
Born John Michael Osbourne on DecemberāÆ3,āÆ1948, Ozzy rose from Birmingham working-class roots to become the pioneering frontman of Black Sabbath in 1968. Their dark, thunderous sound laid the foundation for heavy metal with classic albums like Paranoid and Master of Reality . After being dismissed from Sabbath in 1979, his solo career soared with hits like “Crazy Train” and āMr. Crowley.ā
His life was famously chronicled in MTVās The Osbournes (2002ā05), which brought him into mainstream culture and revealed his ironically warm family side.
Final moments and digital farewell
Just one day before his death, Ozzy shared a poignant photo on Instagramāa backstage shot from the July 5th concert labeled āBack to the Beginning ā The Final Show.ā Fans saw it as a silent goodbye . His death a day later left a stunned community, reflecting the emotional and poetic resonance of his departure.
š Final Take
YesāOzzy Osbourne died at 76 on July 22, 2025. His death came only three weeks after his ceremonious, career-closing performance in his hometown, declaring his musical āfull stop.ā The world mourns a groundbreaking artist whose raw energy and dark showmanship helped define heavy metalāyet whose warmth and humanity touched beyond his fans and genre.

