Ozzy Osbourne, Iconic Black Sabbath Frontman and Reality TV Personality, Passes Away at 76
By Website Content Manager
Osbourne earned two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—once for his work with Black Sabbath and again for his solo career.
Ozzy Osbourne, iconic rocker, former Black Sabbath frontman, and reality TV figure, has passed away at the age of 76.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, July 22, Osbourne’s family said, “We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Ozzy Osbourne, who died this morning. He was surrounded by family and love. We kindly ask for privacy as we mourn this loss.”
Just weeks before his passing, Osbourne made a final stage appearance, seated on a throne during Black Sabbath’s farewell performance on July 5 in Birmingham, U.K.
Back in January 2020, Osbourne publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003—a degenerative condition that affects the nervous system and impacts movement. At the time, he reassured fans, saying, “It’s not a death sentence.”
Despite enduring years of health complications, Osbourne announced in February 2025 that he would headline one final Black Sabbath charity concert in his hometown of Birmingham that July. The show would mark both his last performance and his first time onstage with the band in two decades.
By then, the progression of Parkinson’s had severely impacted his mobility. In an interview with The Sun, Sharon Osbourne shared, “He’s thrilled to return to Birmingham—it means the world to him. It’s an emotional time. Parkinson’s affects the body in many ways, and his legs have been hit hard. But his voice remains as powerful as ever.”
Osbourne himself discussed his health on his SiriusXM show, saying, “I made it to 2025. I can’t walk, but over the holidays I realized—I’m still here. I complain, sure, but I’ve had an amazing run. So many others never got that chance.”
Over the past few years, Osbourne faced multiple serious health challenges. In 2019, he was hospitalized with pneumonia and later suffered a fall at home in Los Angeles that resulted in neck surgery. Then, in June 2022, he underwent a crucial operation to remove two metal plates from his spine—a procedure that his wife had described as potentially life-defining during an episode of The Talk UK.
Nevertheless, Osbourne managed to return to the spotlight briefly, performing in front of 30,000 people at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022. A month later, he told PEOPLE that, despite everything, he still dreamed of performing live.
“The only thing that reminds me I’m aging is my body breaking down,” he said. “But inside, I still feel like the same young man.”
In March 2023, Ozzy Osbourne called off several planned tour dates across the U.K. and Europe. On Instagram, he shared, “My voice is still strong. But after undergoing three surgeries, stem cell therapy, countless sessions of physical rehab, and the latest Cybernics (HAL) treatment, my body remains physically frail.”
He went on to express his disappointment, admitting that he never thought his touring career would conclude under such circumstances. Later that month, in a conversation with Billy Morrison on his SiriusXM show Ozzy’s Boneyard, Osbourne clarified his stance.
“If I ever reach a point where touring is possible again, I’ll do it,” he said. “But if you asked me right now whether I could hit the road in a month, the answer would be no. If I were able, I’d be out there. But I just can’t commit to anything at the moment because I don’t think I could manage it.”
In July of that year, Osbourne also pulled out of the Power Trip festival in Indio, California, scheduled for October 2023. He explained on Instagram that he had originally hoped to be well enough by summer 2024 to return to the stage, and had accepted the festival offer with optimism.
“Sadly, my body is telling me I’m not ready,” he wrote. “And I refuse to come back with a performance that doesn’t meet my own standards—it’s just not in me to give anything less than my best.”
Ozzy Osbourne—born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England—first rose to prominence as the lead singer of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, which he formed in 1968 alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.