Bibek Acharya
Iconic heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne has died aged 76.
The Osbourne family confirms his death in a statement. “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,” they wrote.“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time”.
His family then signed off on the statement: “Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”Osbourne, who rose to prominence as the lead singer of the legendary heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath, had been battling health issues for several years, and in 2020, he revealed his emphysema diagnosis. Osbourne also had Parkinson’s disease and a number of other health complications following a fall in 2019.
His death comes days after Ozzy’s final performance and, despite fears that he would be unable to step on stage at the recent farewell show, Osbourne appeared to a crowd of adoring fans on July 5th, a performance that will now live long in the memory of all fans of the singer.
Known as ‘Prince of Darkness’, Osbourne was a vital figure in the development of hard rock music, founding Black Sabbath alongside Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler in 1968. Together, they released their eponymous first album two years later, which found success in the UK charts, leading to the release of their seminal second album, Paranoid.Black Sabbath, who took their name from the 1963 Mario Bava horror film, sold over 70 million records worldwide and built their legacy on a brooding, occult-tinged aesthetic. Their reputation for darkness wasn’t just about the music – Ozzy Osbourne’s headline-grabbing stunts, like biting the head off a bat mid-show, only amplified their mythos.
Since the news of his death broke, tributes have been pouring in across social media. See a selection of those below.
