Ozzy Osbourne (1948–2025): A Personal Tribute to the Prince of Darkness
I never got to see Ozzy Osbourne live. It’s one of my greatest regrets as a lifelong heavy metal fan. I grew up on his voice, his on-stage antics, his attitude, but every time he toured, life somehow got in the way. Most of the time I was broke, or in a different country. I kept telling myself “ah I’ll see him next time”. And like the idiot that I am that was never the case.
I never got to stand in that crowd and be absorbed by his raw magnetism. Or stand in a packed crowd to scream out the words to Crazy Train or Paranoid. I’m taking this lesson to heart and making sure I see Judas Priest this week and Alice Cooper. Because whether we like it our not our hero’s are getting old and Father Time is a mean old bastard.
When we heard the news of his passing yesterday, it felt like the end of an era. Funnily enough Chern and I were talking about Ozzy not two days before watching videos of his live show. But now the Prince of Darkness, the godfather of modern heavy metal was gone. It made me think about all He and Sabbath had done, they created an entire fucking musical genre.
From the blues-driven doom riffs of early Sabbath to the high-energy anthems of his solo career, Ozzy carved out a sound that defined generations of us metalheads. He took darkness, fear, and madness and transformed them into music that could bring people together, make them feel understood, and even give them strength. His voice, his presence, and his willingness to push boundaries forever changed the way we think about music.
When someone passes it’s natural to think about all their accomplishments, the success they had and how they impacted the few people around them. But when the person who passes is The Prince of Darkness, you think about how he changed the world. And he did just that.
The Birth of Heavy Metal: Black Sabbath’s Legacy
To talk about Ozzy Osbourne is, obviously, to talk about Black Sabbath. Coming from the mean streets of Birmingham in 1967, Sabbath took the raw power of rock and infused it with something darker, something heavier. Albums like Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970), and Master of Reality (1971) changed music forever. They introduced the entire world to the heavy, downtuned riffs of Tony Iommi, the thunderous basslines of Geezer Butler, the relentless drums of Bill Ward, and the unmistakable wail of Ozzy Osbourne.
The sound was unlike anything that had come before. It was raw, heavy, and terrifyingly powerful. They created a bedrock with which heavy metal would explode from, and Ozzy’s voice, that eerie, almost supernatural tone, was the perfect messenger. It’s not an exaggeration to say that every metal band that came after owes something to Black Sabbath. As Tom Morello once said,
“The heaviest, scariest, coolest riffs and the apocalyptic Ozzy wail are without peer.”
One thing that Ozzy truly showed us though, was that metal could be both brutal and beautiful, both terrifying and cathartic. Not only that but he really pushed and pioneered the theatrical side of metal. The wild stage antics, the shocking imagery, the willingness to embrace the bizarre and controversial, all of that started with Ozzy.
I mean the guy threw meat at people at the live show and accidentally bit a bat’s head off for crying out loud!…to which he later had to get rabbies shots in his ass. To be honest without him, we probably wouldn’t have bands like Slipknot, Ghost, or Marilyn Manson. He showed metal how to be weird, to be dark, and to be unapologetically itself.
Even in black metal, you can hear echoes of Sabbath’s early sound. The slow, doomy riffs, the sense of dread, the exploration of the occult, all of it can be traced back to Ozzy and the good ol’ boys from Birmingham.
From Sabbath to Solo Stardom
When Ozzy left Black Sabbath in 1979, many wondered if he would fade away. Instead, he reinvented himself and became an even bigger force in heavy metal. Ozzy was always a sensitive and nervous fellow in his younger days. And his usual method for coping with loss was the bottle. And after he was sacked from Sabbath that’s exactly what he did. He crawled into the bottle.
But when Ozzy met Randy Rhoads, a guitarist whose virtuosic playing would influence countless musicians, things really fit into place. With Randy’s patience and inspiration, and Sharon (his soon-to-be wife), Ozzy had the tools he needed to take his solo career to new heights! His first solo, Blizzard of Ozz (1980), was nothing short of groundbreaking. It introduced the world to songs like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley” solidified Ozzy’s intent to not be forgotten. Ozzy wasn’t going anywhere, baby!
Diary of a Madman (1981) followed, cementing his place as a solo icon. Over the next decades, Ozzy continued to deliver, with albums like Bark at the Moon (1983), The Ultimate Sin (1986), No Rest for the Wicked (1988), No More Tears (1991), and Ozzmosis (1995). Each one showcased his ability to evolve while staying true to the raw power that made him famous. “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from No More Tears remains one of his most emotional and enduring ballads, a song that still, to this day, gives me chills every time I hear it.
Live, Ozzy was unstoppable. Albums like Tribute, which honoured the late Randy Rhoads (who would pass in a tragic plane crash), and Live & Loud captured his ferocious energy and ability to connect with audiences. He wasn’t just performing, he was creating an experience, something unforgettable. Even though I never saw him in person, I’ve watched countless live recordings, and I can tell you, there was something almost otherworldly about him on stage.
The Final Chapter: Back to the Beginning
After decades of continued success, it seemed like nothing could stop The Prince of Darkness. But then this year, Ozzy’s health had become a major concern. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, and over the years, he’d faced multiple surgeries and setbacks. Still, in true Ozzy fashion, he refused to bow out quietly. Not only that but he even dedicated himself to more live appearances. And on July 5, 2025, he returned to Birmingham for the “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert, a event that felt like a full-circle moment. It was to be a celebration of everything Ozzy had given to the world of music.
The lineup was insane too: Metallica, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Anthrax, and others joined Black Sabbath for a night that will go down as one of the greatest in heavy metal history. Ozzy performed both solo hits and Sabbath classics, seated on a black throne, but still commanding the stage with that same presence he had in his twenties. When he sang “War Pigs” with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, you could feel the history, the love, the finality of it all.
Just 17 days later, on July 22, 2025, Ozzy passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family.
I remember reading the headline on Metal Injection and just sitting there thinking, The Prince of Darkness was gone…
The tributes poured in. Tony Iommi said there would never be another like him. Pantera tweeted, “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” Rob Halford and Judas Priest summed it up perfectly, though:
“OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN LIKE MILLIONS AROUND THE WORLD- WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS THE LOVE AND LOSS WE ARE ALL FEELING - SHARON - MAY GOD SURROUND YOU AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY WITH LOVE, PEACE & LIGHT- OZZY YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE US - YOUR MUSIC IS ETERNAL - GOD BLESSES YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER AFTER YOU BLESSED US ALL THROUGH YOUR MAGNIFICENT LIFE.”
ROB, GLENN, IAN, RICHIE & SCOTT
Even outside the metal world, artists like Elton John, and Coldplay expressed their sorrow and admiration. Coldplay even dedicated their Nashville concert to Ozzy, performing “Changes” as a tribute. It was a reminder that Ozzy’s influence reached far beyond metal, he touched every corner of the music world.
A Personal Reflection
For me, Ozzy was one of the few artists that led me towards the door of metal. I remember that I first head Sabbath from my dad’s old record collection. It was a collection of 70s rock and metal albums from Eastern Europe. His youth were formed by these songs and now so were mine. And listening to Sabbath I felt something completely different and awe-inspiring. Like some deep primitive thing that had no name but I loved every second of it.
From blasting “Iron Man” in the car with my friends to learning every word of “No More Tears,” Ozzy’s music has been there through every high and low. His voice, that haunting, instantly recognisable voice, has been a companion, a motivator, and a source of strength.
I never saw him live, but even just his music was enough. And yet, I wish I could have stood there, even just once, and watched him smile that devilish grin, arms outstretched, as thousands of fans screamed his name.
The End of an Era, But Not the End of the Magic
Ozzy Osbourne’s death marks the end of one of heavy metal’s most artists. But his spirit? That will never die. Every time a kid picks up a guitar and learns the riff to “Paranoid,” every time a band takes the stage and plays faster, louder, and heavier, Ozzy’s legacy lives on.
The world feels a little quieter without him. But the echoes of his voice, the thunder of his music, will never fade. Ozzy gave us everything, his music, his madness, his heart, and for that, we’ll always be grateful.
Rest in peace, Ozzy. Thank you for your music, the laughs, the chaos, and the magic.
We’ll see you on the other side.
