Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne

Early Life and Black Sabbath Origins

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England. Growing up in the Aston area, he faced significant hardships including sexual abuse from school bullies and dyslexia that challenged his education. Inspired by The Beatles at age 14, particularly their 1963 hit "She Loves You," Osbourne resolved to become a rock star. After leaving school at 15, he worked various jobs including construction, plumbing, and as a slaughterhouse worker. At 17, he was convicted of robbing a clothes shop and spent six weeks in prison.

In late 1967, Osbourne joined Geezer Butler's band Rare Breed, which evolved through several iterations before becoming Black Sabbath in August 1969. The band—featuring Osbourne's distinctive eerie vocals, Tony Iommi's heavy guitar riffs, Butler's dark lyrics, and Bill Ward's drumming—revolutionized heavy metal. Their self-titled debut and second album Paranoid (both 1970) achieved swift commercial success. Osbourne adopted the title "Prince of Darkness" during this era and performed on the band's first eight studio albums through 1978. However, escalating substance abuse led to his dismissal on April 27, 1979, despite Osbourne's claim that his drug use matched his bandmates'.

Solo Career and Commercial Success

After signing to Jet Records under manager Don Arden's guidance, Osbourne formed the Blizzard of Ozz in late 1979 with bassist Bob Daisley and legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. His 1980 debut album Blizzard of Ozz achieved quadruple platinum status despite lacking a top-40 single. The 1981 follow-up Diary of a Madman solidified his solo success. Tragedy struck on March 19, 1982, when Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash, sending Osbourne into deep depression. He recovered to record Speak of the Devil (1982) and continued releasing successful albums throughout the 1980s, including Bark at the Moon (1983) and The Ultimate Sin (1986). Working with guitarist Zakk Wylde beginning in 1988, Osbourne recorded No Rest for the Wicked and achieved his first major chart hit with the 1988 ballad "Close My Eyes Forever," a duet with Lita Ford reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Cultural Icon and Television Star

Osbourne's 1991 album No More Tears marked a commercial peak, featuring the hit "Mama, I'm Coming Home" and winning a 1994 Grammy Award. By the 1990s, he had transcended music to become a cultural phenomenon. His wife Sharon founded Ozzfest in 1996, which became one of metal's premier festivals, attracting over four million attendees and grossing $170 million through 2005. The MTV reality series The Osbournes (2002–2005) catapulted him to mainstream celebrity, introducing his family to millions of viewers and generating constant controversy. He subsequently appeared in Ozzy & Jack's World Detour (2016–2018) and The Osbournes Want to Believe (2020–2021).

Black Sabbath Reunions and Later Career

Osbourne reunited with Black Sabbath in 1997, recording the comeback album Reunion (1998). The original lineup reunited again in 2011–2012, releasing the album 13 (2013), which topped both UK and US charts. The band embarked on a farewell tour called "The End," concluding in February 2017. Throughout the 2000s–2020s, Osbourne continued solo work with albums including Down to Earth (2001), Black Rain (2007), Scream (2010), Ordinary Man (2020), and Patient Number 9 (2022). His final concert, "Back to the Beginning," took place July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham alongside the original Black Sabbath lineup, with Osbourne performing seated due to Parkinson's disease.

Legacy and Impact

With over 100 million albums sold, Osbourne ranks among rock music's most influential figures. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Black Sabbath member in 2006 and as a solo artist in 2024, also receiving inductions into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. He received Hollywood and Birmingham Walk of Fame stars and numerous honors including MTV's 2014 Global Icon Award and the 2015 Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement. Rolling Stone ranked him 112th among the greatest singers of all time in 2023. Osbourne died on July 22, 2025, seventeen days after his final performance.