Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal icon and voice of Black Sabbath, passes away

The music world is in mourning. John Michael Osbourne, known worldwide as Ozzy Osbourne, died Tuesday at 76, his family said in a statement.

"With sadness greater than words can express, we must report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne passed away this morning. He was accompanied by his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time," his family members noted.

The legendary Black Sabbath vocalist, pioneer of heavy metal and iconic figure of popular culture, died surrounded by his loved ones after a life marked by rebellion, creativity and a unique connection with his fans.

His departure comes just weeks after his last performance on stage, an emotional concert in Villa Park, Birmingham where he said goodbye alongside the original members of Black Sabbath, leaving an unforgettable closure to his career.

Born on December 3, 1948 in Aston, a working-class suburb of Birmingham, England, Ozzy grew up in an industrial environment that shaped Black Sabbath's raw, powerful sound. He dropped out of school at 15 and worked in trades such as a laborer, plumber and in a slaughterhouse, as well as facing legal troubles that led to two months in prison for theft.

The Beatles changed his life

However, his life changed when he discovered "She Loves You" by The Beatles in 1963, a song that inspired him to devote himself to music. In 1968, along with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, he formed Black Sabbath, a band that redefined rock music with its dark sound and lyrics laden with mystical and social imagery.

Black Sabbath's eponymous 1970 debut marked the birth of heavy metal, with songs such as "Black Sabbath" and "N.I.B." capturing the attention of a generation. Their second album, Paranoid (1970), cemented their legacy with anthems such as "War Pigs", "Iron Man" and the eponymous song, which topped the British charts. Despite the success, excessive use of alcohol and drugs led to internal tensions, and in 1979 Ozzy was dropped from the band after a decade of achievement and conflict.

Far from giving up, Osbourne launched his solo career with Blizzard of Ozz (1980), an album that not only revitalized his career, but also introduced the world to virtuoso guitarist Randy Rhoads.

In doing so, songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" became instant classics, and Ozzy's theatrical charisma, along with incidents like the bat episode in 1982, cemented his nickname of "Prince of Darkness".

Backed by his wife and manager, Sharon Arden, whom he met in the 1970s and married in 1982, Ozzy built a solo career that commercially surpassed Black Sabbath, selling more than 100 million records between his work with the band and as a solo artist.

In the 1990s, Osbourne reinvented the metal landscape with Ozzfest, a festival that gave stage to bands such as Metallica, Slayer and Pantera, strengthening the genre's community.

His return to Black Sabbath in 1997 brought new achievements, including a Grammy for "Iron Man" in 2000 and another for "God Is Dead?" in 2014. In addition, his foray into television with The Osbournes (2002-2005) showed his more human and chaotic side, making him a pop culture star and bringing him closer to new generations. The series, which followed the daily lives of Ozzy, Sharon and their children Kelly and Jack, was a phenomenon that humanized the metal icon.

Personal challenges

Despite his success, Ozzy faced numerous personal challenges. His struggle with addictions marked much of his life, affecting his first marriage to Thelma Riley, with whom he had two children, Jessica and Louis.

With Sharon, he had three more children, Aimee, Kelly and Jack. In 2019, Osbourne revealed his diagnosis of Parkinson's, a disease that, along with spinal injuries stemming from an accident in 2003 and a fall in 2019, limited his ability to perform live. However, his determination led him to prepare one final show, Back to the Beginning, on July 5 this year in Birmingham.

Seated on a throne adorned with bats and skulls, Ozzy delivered a solo set and was joined by Iommi, Butler and Ward to perform classics such as "War Pigs" and "Paranoid", at an event that featured tributes from bands such as Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Slayer, and which raised $190 million for charities such as Cure Parkinson's and children's hospitals.

From the back alleys of Birmingham to the stages of the world, his legacy will live on in every riff, every scream and every fan who raised their horns to the sky in his honor. As he himself said at his last concert, "You've got no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."