Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath Lead Vocalist, Dead At 76

Rock musician Ozzy Osbourne, best known as the frontman of the popular band Black Sabbath, died on July 22, 2025, according to Sky News. He was 76. He is survived by his wife Sharon Osbourne, with whom he was able to make their relationship work for nearly 40 years; his children Jessica, Louis, Aimee, Kelly, and Jack Osbourne; his adopted stepson Elliot Kingsley; and his beloved grandchildren. 

Ozzy struggled with several health issues and endured treatment in an attempt to remedy the pain. In 2020, he shared he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2003, according to the Los Angeles Times. Despite Ozzy's diagnosis and the fact that he was living in pain, the rocker continued pushing through and performing concerts. While dealing with the chronic illness, Ozzy told "Good Morning America" he also suffered a fall at his home that led to having surgery on his neck, according to People. The surgery reportedly affected his nerves.

He went in for another surgery in June 2022, which his wife stated would make or break the rest of his life. 

On June 13, 2022, Ozzy Osbourne underwent what his wife Sharon Osbourne referred to as a major surgery, according to People. Sharon shared some details about the procedure on "The Talk UK." Then a co-host, she confirmed that she would be stepping away for a month to take care of her husband following the procedure and would not be appearing on the show in person.

"It's really going to determine the rest of his life," she said. She did not go into detail regarding the surgery, but it appears the procedure was one of four total surgeries Ozzy underwent to repair his spine after his 2019 fall impacted the metal rods that had been inserted in his back after a serious bike accident in 2003, according to Rolling Stone UK. He underwent another surgery in 2023 to repair even more damage. "I thought I'd be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one they put a f**king rod in my spine. They found a tumor in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too," he said.

After his 2023 surgery, Ozzy noted that said fourth operation would be his last, adding that, "At best, I've got 10 years left and when you're older, time picks up speed."

Before Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath became household names, the rock star came from humble beginnings. Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, to working-class parents, Osbourne grew up in Birmingham, England as one of six children in the family. Although his family was large Osbourne revealed that they lived in tight quarters.

"The bedroom I had back then was no bigger than two single beds, side by side," Osbourne shared in the A&E documentary "The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne." "The bedroom I had back then was no bigger than two single beds side by side. There was no inside toilet — There was a bucket to pee in at the end of the bed." He continued, "We had an outside toilet where you'd go to go for a dump. We didn't have toilet paper, we had newspapers. We didn't have soap and water. I had a lot of shame as a kid because I always felt dirty, I always felt unclean, I felt like a peasant."

From there, Osbourne got into trouble. He would spend time in prison before creating Black Sabbath.

The A&E documentary "The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne" detailed the rock star's run-in with the law. Before he found fame as a musician, a young Ozzy Osbourne ran with the wrong crowd and constantly got into trouble. In the documentary Osbourne himself described his childhood as being defined by "alcohol and dope and being a class clown."

Osbourne was struggling in his small English town. After getting caught breaking into a local store, he was arrested. When his father refused to bail him out, Osbourne was forced to spend six weeks behind bars. After he got out, he knew he needed a change.

From struggle came one of the most important aspects of his life: his band. Black Sabbath was formed in 1968, formerly under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band, according to Rolling Stone. The group consisted of Osbourne as lead vocalist, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, and drummer Bill Ward. Forming this band — best known for songs like "Iron Man," "Paranoid," and "War Pigs" — changed Osbourne's life forever.

After striking gold with Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne's career flourished. While he would get kicked out of the band in the '80s, the singer came out on top. He went solo, released one of the most popular songs of the decade, and continued to find success in music, according to Express. By that point, Osbourne was a household name.

His fame continued into the 2000s with a reality show that makes "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" look silly. "The Osbournes" predated the Kardashians and showed off the Osbourne family's dysfunctional but fun-loving life. Although Ozzy has six children, the show only featured his two youngest, Kelly and Jack Osbourne.

While the show had hilarious catchphrases — like the rock star constantly yelling for his wife — it also offered an inside look at the real struggles the family faced. Jack and Kelly grew up in front of cameras and viewers got to watch as they peddled through their teenage years. Aside from his music career, Ozzy will surely be remembered best for being a family man.

Although Ozzy Osbourne lived a fast and crazy life as the singer of one of the most popular bands in the world, he was also a family man. While he was open and honest about how life as a rock star impacted his family, he worked hard to make things work at home.

He and Sharon Osbourne tied the knot years after they met when Sharon was a teenager, according to Hello! Her father was the manager of Black Sabbath at the time. The couple wed in Hawaii in 1982 and managed to make it work over the years. However, it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows for the couple. In a drunken state 7 years after their wedding, Ozzy reportedly tried to strangle Sharon, which almost ended their marriage. They were able to work through the intense encounter and Ozzy became a doting husband and father to the pair's three children: Aimee, Kelly, and Jack Osbourne. He also worked to develop stronger relationships with his children from a previous relationship, per Hollywood Life.

There were ups and downs along the way, with reports of infidelity and relapsed substance abuse, but in the end, Ozzy and his crew shared a special bond. He'll certainly be missed by the family he leaves behind.