Ozzy Osbourne Dead at 76, Family Confirms

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND — Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76, his family confirmed in a statement published by The Sun on Tuesday.

“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,” the family said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. — Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”

The announcement comes just weeks after Osbourne joined his Black Sabbath bandmates on stage at Villa Park in Birmingham for what was billed as their final-ever concert on July 5. According to The Sun, the performance marked the first time in 20 years the original Black Sabbath lineup—Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—had played together.

Osbourne, born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968. The band rose to global fame with its dark sound, occult-themed lyrics and hits such as “Paranoid” and “Iron Man.” He left the group in 1978 and launched a solo career with his 1980 album Blizzard of Ozz, which included the hit single “Crazy Train.”

The Sun reported that Osbourne’s “Prince of Darkness” persona was bolstered by wild onstage antics, including the infamous moment he bit the head off a bat. He later found success in television with The Osbournes, a reality series that debuted in 2002 and became the most-watched show on MTV.

Despite his enduring popularity, Osbourne faced numerous health issues. In 2019, he suffered a spinal injury requiring surgery and was diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s disease the following year. “I’m on a host of medication, mainly for the surgery,” Osbourne said in an interview cited by The Sun. “I’ve got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold. I don’t know if it’s the Parkinson’s or what.”

Osbourne expressed a desire to continue performing despite his declining health. “My fans—that’s the thing I really miss about not doing gigs,” he said in February, according to The Sun.

He is survived by his wife Sharon and their children, Aimee, Kelly and Jack. No details about memorial services have been announced.