2025 has been a difficult year marked by the passing of several icons. After the passing of multiple boxing legends earlier this year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner of The Cosby Show passed away on Sunday. Now, reports have confirmed that Ozzy Osbourne—famously known as the ‘Prince of Darkness’ and frontman of the legendary rock/heavy metal band Black Sabbath—has died at the age of 76.

While the exact cause of death has not been disclosed, Ozzy Osbourne had been battling numerous health issues in recent years. His passing comes less than three weeks after what would become his final performance. On July 5, the legendary rocker reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for the first time since 2005 at Back to the Beginning—a star-studded farewell concert celebrating the giants of heavy metal. Following his death, Osbourne’s family has released an official statement honoring his legacy. The grandson of boxing great Muhammad Ali also shared a heartfelt tribute to the music icon.

Ozzy Osbourne knew what was coming

“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,” the statement read. During his final performance at the farewell concert, Osbourne addressed the crowd with raw honesty about his ongoing health struggles, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple spinal surgeries.

“I’ve been laid up for six years, and you’ve got no idea how I feel,” he said that night. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, England, Ozzy grew up in a working-class family, grappling with poverty and dyslexia. He left school at 15 and cycled through odd jobs before finding salvation in music. In 1967, he co-founded Black Sabbath, helping birth heavy metal with landmark albums like Paranoid (1970).

His haunting vocals and dark, introspective lyrics would later become a signature of the genre. However, addiction to drugs and alcohol led to his dismissal from the band in 1979. A year later, he launched a wildly successful solo career with Blizzard of Ozz, delivering timeless hits like Crazy Train. His theatrical live performances—most notably the incident where he bit off a bat’s head—cemented his legacy as the Prince of Darkness.

Behind the scenes, Osbourne faced numerous personal challenges, including repeated stints in rehab. Still, he remained musically active, releasing albums like No More Tears (1991). In 1996, he created Ozzfest, a festival that became a pillar of the heavy metal community. He reached a new generation of fans with the reality TV series The Osbournes (2002–2005), offering an unfiltered look at life with his wife, Sharon, and children Kelly and Jack.

Health problems continued to shadow him in later years, including a serious ATV accident in 2003 and a 2019 Parkinson’s diagnosis. Even so, he released Patient Number 9 in 2022, showing that his passion for music had never wavered. At the time of his passing, Osbourne was living in Los Angeles with Sharon. Since the announcement, tributes have poured in, with Nico Ali Walsh being among the many mourning the loss of a true rock legend.

Ozzy should be added to the periodic table

After the news broke, countless fans flooded social media with farewell tributes and their experiences growing up listening to Osbourne. “RIP The Prince of Darkness,” Biaggio Ali Walsh wrote on Instagram, sharing a picture of them together. While it’s unclear whether Walsh was a fan of heavy metal, he nonetheless paid tribute to the music icon. 

Another user came up with an idea to remember Osbourne. “Ozzy Osbourne should be in the periodic table as Ozztanium (Oz), the heaviest of all metals, as a contribution to his soul. Rest in power, Prince of Darkness,” the user wrote. At least, science will be fun that way.

Meanwhile, this user wasn’t happy with how devastating 2025 has been. “🗣2025, you can exit stage left wtf 😳 RIP Ozzy and Malcolm 🙏🏾❤️🕊,” the user wrote. Malcolm reportedly drowned while swimming in Costa Rica. 

Someone else could not believe the circumstances that led up to Osbourne’s death. “He ended his farewell tour with ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home.’ This is so crazy to me…,” the user wrote. The performance was part of his five-song solo set, backed by guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman, and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Meanwhile, this user was relieved he got to see Osbourne perform one last time before leaving. “He gathered up all the strength he needed for one final performance, RIP 🙏🏾,” the user commented. Osbourne wanted to mark a farewell to his live performance career and celebrate his legacy, but perhaps he knew his time here was up.

With another day, another legend has taken his final bow, but Ozzy Osbourne’s legacy won’t fade with the silence. He wasn’t just a musician—he was a movement. From the birth of heavy metal to the chaos of live shows and the raw honesty of The Osbournes, Ozzy lived his truth, loud and unapologetically. And he will forever be remembered for that. Do you have any parting words for him?