Ozzy Osbourne Passes Away at 76

Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary rock and metal musician known as the "Prince of Darkness," has passed away at the age of 76. His family confirmed his passing to several media outlets in the UK and the Associated Press.

"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," a family statement said.

Osbourne's music career spanned decades, from his early days as the lead singer of Black Sabbath to his successful solo career. In 2020, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after suffering a fall.

"Black Sabbath are the Beatles of heavy metal. Anybody who's serious about metal will tell you it all comes down to Sabbath," wrote Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction in a 2010 tribute. "There's a direct line you can draw back from today's metal, through Eighties bands like Iron Maiden, back to Sabbath."

Osbourne reemerged as a solo artist after being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 for his legendary excesses. He went on to release several hard rock classics and was twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – once with Sabbath and again as a solo artist.

In July 2022, Osbourne reunited with the original Sabbath lineup for their first performance together in 20 years, telling fans "Let the madness begin!"

Throughout his career, Osbourne embodied the excesses of metal. His outlandish exploits included relieving himself on the Alamo, snorting a line of ants off a sidewalk and biting the head off a live bat during a concert.

"Black Sabbath: we'd all be different people without them, that's the truth," said Pantera singer Phil Anselmo. "I know I wouldn't be up here with a microphone in my hand without Black Sabbath."