Topline
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of heavy metal progenitors Black Sabbath and a multi-platinum selling solo artist, has died at 76, his family confirmed to the BBC, just weeks after his final performance with his old band while still battling Parkinson’s disease.
Ozzy Osbourne speaks onstage during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Key Facts
Osbourne’s family said the rock star died Tuesday morning, adding “he was with his family and surrounded by love.”
The family did not immediately state the singer’s cause of death, but Osbourne revealed he had previously been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020.
Osbourne performed a final show with the original members of Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England, on July 5, where he sang seated on a black throne that was raised from the stage.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
Key Background
Osbourne was one of the founding members of Black Sabbath, an English rock band whose loud, distorted guitars and lyrics focusing on occult subject matter built their reputation as one of the first heavy metal bands. Osbourne fronted the band as lead singer until 1979, when he embarked on a career as a solo artist. Osbourne saw wild success as a solo artist in the following decades, with his debut album “Blizzard of Ozz” achieving five times platinum status, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. In the 2000s, Osbourne found more success in the wider entertainment industry with the reality television show “The Osbournes,” which documented his relationship with his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and their children, Jack and Kelly.