John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, England, to a working-class family, and struggled with dyslexia and other learning difficulties in school, eventually dropping out at age 15. He never served in the military and worked a series of odd jobs, including as a construction laborer and slaughterhouse worker, before turning to music.
Osbourne rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead singer of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose dark, riff-heavy sound on albums like Paranoid (1970) and Master of Reality (1971) helped define the genre; his haunting vocals and onstage persona earned him the nickname “The Prince of Darkness.”
Albums
Black Sabbath
- Black Sabbath (1970)
- Paranoid (1970)
- Master of Reality (1971)
- Vol. 4 (1972)
- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
- Sabotage (1975)
- Technical Ecstasy (1976)
- Never Say Die! (1978)
- 13 (2013)
Solo
- Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
- Diary of a Madman (1981)
- Bark at the Moon (1983)
- The Ultimate Sin (1986)
- No Rest for the Wicked (1988)
- No More Tears (1991)
- Ozzmosis (1995)
- Down to Earth (2001)
- Under Cover (2005)
- Black Rain (2007)
- Scream (2010)
- Ordinary Man (2020)
- Patient Number 9 (2022)
Fired from the band in 1979 due to substance abuse issues, he launched a hugely successful solo career with Blizzard of Ozz (1980), which included classics like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley” and featured guitarist Randy Rhoads. His solo success continued through the decades,
and he later reunited with Black Sabbath multiple times, including for the Grammy-winning 13 (2013). Osbourne became a pop culture icon beyond music through the MTV reality show The Osbournes (2002–2005), which depicted his family life with wife and manager Sharon Osbourne and their children Jack and Kelly.
Solo_Singles
Year “Song Title” #US Billboard Chart (Only listed Top 40 Singles Here – from the US Billboard Mainstream charts)
- 1980 “Crazy Train” #9
- 1981 “Flying High Again” #2
- 1981 “Over the Mountain” #38
- 1983 “Bark at the Moon” #12
- 1986 “Shot in the Dark” #10
- 1991 “No More Tears” #10
- 1991 “Mama, I’m Coming Home” #2
- 1992 “Time After Time” [promo] #6
- 1992 “Road to Nowhere” [promo] #3
- 1992 “Mr. Tinkertrain” [promo] #34
- 1995 “Perry Mason” #3
- 1996 “See You on the Other Side” #5
- 1996 “I Just Want You” #24
- 1996 “Walk on Water” [promo] #28
- 1997 “Back on Earth” #3
- 2010 “Let Me Hear You Scream” #1
- 2010 “Life Won’t Wait” #12
- 2011 “Let It Die” #21
- 2019 “Under the Graveyard” #1
- 2019 “Straight to Hell” #16
- 2020 “Ordinary Man” (featuring Osbourne) #7
- 2022 “Patient Number 9” (featuring Jeff Beck) #1
- 2022 “One of Those Days” (featuring Eric Clapton) #3
- 2023 “A Thousand Shades” (featuring Jeff Beck) #18
Ozzy Osbourne’s infamous reputation for shocking antics was cemented by two notorious incidents involving animals: in 1981, during a meeting with CBS Records executives, he bit the heads off two live doves as a publicity stunt intended to get their attention, horrifying the staff and resulting in his ejection from the building;
the following year, during a concert in Des Moines, Iowa, a fan threw a live bat onto the stage, which Osbourne, believing it to be a rubber toy, bit into—only to realize it was real, requiring immediate rabies treatment. These acts fueled accusations of Satanism and animal cruelty, especially given Black Sabbath’s occult-themed lyrics and imagery, but Osbourne repeatedly denied any connection to Satanism, insisting the band’s dark themes were theatrical and cautionary rather than genuinely evil.
He often ridiculed claims of being a Satanist, once saying, “We were more about horror movies than devil worship,” and emphasized his Christian upbringing and belief in God. Nevertheless, the media frenzy around these incidents played a significant role in building his enduring “Prince of Darkness” persona.
Despite decades of health struggles, including addiction, a Parkinson’s diagnosis, and multiple surgeries following a 2019 fall, he continued to record and perform sporadically into the 2020s. Over his career, he received multiple awards including Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Black Sabbath in 2006, and a solo induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021,
as well as the Global Icon Award at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards. As of July 2025, Ozzy Osbourne is still alive. He and Sharon remain married, and he is survived by five children: Jessica and Louis (from his first marriage to Thelma Riley), and Aimee, Kelly, and Jack (with Sharon).
I just can’t believe it! My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park. Such heart-breaking news that I can’t really find the words… Geezer (Butler), Bill (Ward) and myself have lost our brother. My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family. Rest in peace Oz. There won’t ever be another like him.
Tony Iommi
So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.
Elton John
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia “Ozzy Osbourne” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne “Black Sabbath” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath “Ozzy Osbourne discography” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne_discography
- Sky News “Ozzy Osbourne dies just weeks after farewell show” https://news.sky.com/story/ozzy-osbourne-dies-just-weeks-after-farewell-show-13400248
- BBC News “‘There won’t be another like him’: Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath bandmates pay tribute” https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cn0qq5nyxn0t
- Mirror “Ozzy Osbourne dead UPDATES: Black Sabbath co-star heartbroken over friend’s death” https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/ozzy-osbourne-dead-live-black-35599958
- 45 Cat https://www.45cat.com/
- Ultimate Classic Rock “Ozzy Osbourne Dead at 76, Weeks After Farewell Show” https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-osbourne-dies/
