The music world is reeling from the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath and a solo icon, who passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76. Known as the “Prince of Darkness,” Osbourne’s death marks the end of a storied career that birthed heavy metal and redefined rock stardom. In the years leading up to his passing, Osbourne endured what he described as “five years of absolute hell,” battling debilitating health issues, including Parkinson’s disease and a severe neck injury from a 2019 fall. These struggles, compounded by a lifetime of physical and substance abuse, tested his resilience but never dimmed his passion for music or his connection with fans. As tributes pour in from artists like Yungblud, Metallica, and Sir Rod Stewart, we reflect on Osbourne’s final chapter, his triumphant farewell concert, and the indomitable spirit that made him a cultural icon.

A Rock Legend’s Final Days

Ozzy Osbourne’s death was announced by his family in a heartfelt statement: “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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.” The statement, shared with outlets like BBC News and People, did not specify a cause of death, but Osbourne’s health battles were well-documented. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, he kept it private until 2020, when he revealed the diagnosis on Good Morning America alongside his wife, Sharon. “It’s Parkin 2, a form of Parkinson’s,” Sharon clarified, noting it wasn’t a death sentence but affected his nerves variably.

In a 2023 interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Osbourne opened up about the toll of his health struggles. “It’s been five years of absolute hell for me and the family,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion. “My family has been so supportive. I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s been really a bad scene.” His son, Jack Osbourne, clarified that while Parkinson’s was a factor, a 2019 fall exacerbated a neck injury from a 2003 quad bike accident, causing significant mobility issues. “So many people think what’s happened with dad over the last five years is the result of Parkinson’s, but it’s the neck injury and the fall he took in 2019,” Jack explained.

The 2003 accident, which occurred at his Buckinghamshire estate, left Osbourne with a broken neck and metal rods in his spine. “I just got up and carried on, but I had broken my neck, and I carried on working with it,” he told Piers Morgan Uncensored. “And then it just everything came undone.” The 2019 fall displaced those implants, requiring multiple surgeries and leaving him unable to walk without assistance by early 2025. Sharon revealed in February 2025 to the BBC that Parkinson’s had rendered him unable to walk, though his voice remained strong. Despite these challenges, Osbourne’s determination to perform one last time drove him to prepare for a final concert that would become his ultimate farewell.

The Final Bow: A Triumph in Birmingham

On July 5, 2025, Osbourne reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for a one-night-only concert at Villa Park in Birmingham, his hometown and the birthplace of heavy metal. Titled “Back to the Beginning,” the 10-hour event, hosted by Jason Momoa, featured performances from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, and others, raising $190 million for charities like The Cure Parkinson’s Trust and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Seated on a black throne due to his mobility issues, Osbourne delivered a powerful set, including classics like “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.” “Let the madness begin!” he told 42,000 fans, his voice still commanding.

The concert, livestreamed to 5.8 million viewers, was a poignant goodbye. Sharon had described it as Osbourne’s “full stop,” a chance to thank fans he hadn’t properly farewelled. “Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there’s been no full stop,” she told the BBC in February. Osbourne himself, speaking to The Guardian in May, admitted the physical toll of his condition: “It’s tough—I’ve been laid up for such a long time. I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing, and the first thing to go is your strength.” Yet, he added, “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”

The emotional weight of the performance wasn’t lost on fans or peers. Metallica posted a photo with Osbourne on X, paired with a broken heart emoji, while Ronnie Wood wrote, “What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back to the Beginning in Birmingham.” Yungblud, who performed a cover of “Changes” at the concert, called Osbourne a “legend,” adding, “I didn’t think you would leave so soon.” The event, a celebration of Osbourne’s legacy, became a fitting capstone to a career that reshaped music.

A Life of Rock and Resilience

Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham’s Aston area, Ozzy’s early life was marked by hardship. One of six children in a working-class family, he struggled with dyslexia and ADHD, dropping out of school at 15 to work in a slaughterhouse and other menial jobs. A brief stint as a burglar landed him in prison for six weeks, a low point that redirected him to music. Inspired by The Beatles’ “She Loves You,” he joined a band in 1968 with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, initially called Earth, before renaming themselves Black Sabbath after a Boris Karloff film.

Black Sabbath’s self-titled 1970 debut album, with its ominous riffs and occult imagery, birthed heavy metal. Hits like “Paranoid” and “Iron Man” made them global stars, but Osbourne’s substance abuse led to his firing in 1979. Undeterred, he launched a solo career with Blizzard of Ozz (1980), featuring “Crazy Train,” and Diary of a Madman (1981), both multi-platinum successes. His infamous antics—biting the head off a bat in 1982, snorting ants with Mötley Crüe, and urinating on the Alamo in 1982—cemented his “Prince of Darkness” persona. A darker incident occurred in 1989, when he was arrested for attempting to strangle Sharon while intoxicated; she dropped the charges, and he entered rehab.

Osbourne’s personal life was as turbulent as his stage presence. Married to Thelma Riley in 1971, he had three children—Jessica, Louis, and Elliot—before divorcing in 1982. That year, he married Sharon, his manager, with whom he had Aimee, Kelly, and Jack. The MTV reality show The Osbournes (2002–2005) revealed a softer side, portraying him as a “befuddled patriarch” and making stars of his family. Despite his wild image, Osbourne was a practicing member of the Church of England, praying before shows, a fact noted by The New York Times in 1992.

The Health Battles That Defined His Final Years

Osbourne’s health struggles began long before his Parkinson’s diagnosis. The 2003 quad bike crash required extensive spinal surgery, inserting metal rods that later complicated his recovery from the 2019 fall. In 2019, Sharon revealed he was hospitalized with flu complications, canceling tour dates. By 2020, he publicly shared his Parkinson’s diagnosis, describing it as manageable but unpredictable. “You’ll have a good day, then a good day, and then a really bad day,” Sharon told Good Morning America.

The 2019 fall, which displaced his spinal hardware, was particularly devastating. “I had to have surgery on my neck which screwed all my nerves,” Osbourne said in 2020. Jack clarified that the neck injury, not Parkinson’s, was the primary cause of his mobility loss. Osbourne underwent multiple surgeries, with his final procedure occurring just days before his Piers Morgan interview in 2023. “I can’t believe I’ve come to the end of it,” he said, relieved but weary. To prepare for his final concert, he worked daily with a rehab therapist in Los Angeles to stand and walk, a grueling effort for the Villa Park performance.

Osbourne’s openness about his mortality added poignancy to his final years. In a 2023 Rolling Stone UK interview, he told Sharon, “At best I’ve got 10 years left,” reflecting on his father’s death from cancer. Daughter Kelly debunked rumors of a suicide pact, calling them “bulls–t” on Instagram days before his death. Despite his physical decline, Osbourne remained optimistic. “At f—ing 73, I’ve done pretty well,” he told Classic Rock in 2022. “I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

Tributes and Legacy

The outpouring of grief following Osbourne’s death reflects his monumental impact. Piers Morgan called him “one of the greatest rock stars in history” and “truly one of the funniest people I’ve ever known,” recalling Osbourne’s claim that meeting Sharon was his life’s best moment. Sir Rod Stewart wrote, “Bye, bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend. I’ll see you up there—later rather than sooner.” Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi expressed disbelief, saying, “There won’t ever be another like him.”

Yungblud’s tribute, shared on Instagram, was particularly heartfelt: “I am truly heartbroken. You were the greatest of all time.” Having performed “Changes” at Osbourne’s final concert, Yungblud credited him as an inspiration for his own boundary-pushing career. Other artists, from Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong to Motorhead, paid homage, with the latter noting Osbourne’s friendship with their late founder, Lemmy.

Osbourne’s legacy transcends music. Black Sabbath, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and Osbourne as a solo artist in 2024, sold over 75 million albums worldwide. His Ozzfest tours, launched in 1996, showcased bands like Slipknot and Linkin Park, shaping modern metal. His reality TV fame introduced him to new generations, while his resilience—surviving addiction, accidents, and illness—made him a symbol of survival. As David Gange, author of Why Metal Matters, told Sky News, Osbourne’s theatricality gave heavy metal “an immediacy and emotional impact” unmatched by peers.

A Lasting Impact

Ozzy Osbourne’s final years were marked by pain but also by perseverance. His “five years of absolute hell” were a testament to his strength, buoyed by Sharon, his children, and his fans. His final concert, a defiant return to the stage, was a love letter to the community that sustained him. As the world mourns, his voice—wailing, raw, and unmistakable—lives on in songs that defined a genre and a life that defied the odds.