Topline
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of heavy metal progenitors Black Sabbath and a multi-platinum selling solo artist, has died at 76, his family confirmed to the BBC, just weeks after his final performance with his old band while still battling Parkinson’s disease.
Ozzy Osbourne speaks onstage during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Key Facts
Osbourne’s family said the rock star died Tuesday morning, adding, “he was with his family and surrounded by love.”
The family did not immediately state the singer’s cause of death, but Osbourne revealed he had previously been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020.
Osbourne performed a final show with the original members of Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England, on July 5, where he sang seated on a black throne that was raised from the stage.
Key Background
Osbourne was one of the founding members of Black Sabbath, an English rock band whose loud, distorted guitars and lyrics focusing on occult subject matter built their reputation as one of the first heavy metal bands. Osbourne fronted the band as lead singer until 1979, when he embarked on a career as a solo artist, and enjoyed wild success in the following decades, with his debut album “Blizzard of Ozz” achieving five-times platinum status, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. In the 2000s, Osbourne found more success with the reality television show “The Osbournes,” which documented his relationship with his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and their children, Jack and Kelly.
How Sick Was Osbourne Before His Death?
Osbourne revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in January 2020 on an episode of “Good Morning America,” which he said he had been battling with for about a year in private. “I had a bad fall,” Osbourne said. “I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves.” He continued to release music and perform sporadically over the next five years, including at the closing ceremonies of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Before the diagnosis, Osbourne struggled for years with alcoholism and drug abuse. In a 2021 interview with Variety, the singer said luck was the only reason he survived into his 70s. “I should have been dead 1,000 times,” Osbourne said.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2025/07/22/ozzy-osbourne-dead-at-76-family-says/