Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of Black Sabbath and a hugely influential pioneer of heavy metal, has passed away. He was 76 and surrounded by family. No cause of death has yet been released, but it’s safe to say that Ozzy Osbourne died from being Ozzy Osbourne for 76 freakin’ years, which is incredible. (He was also battling Parkinson’s disease.)
Osbourne had, just weeks ago, played a final show with Black Sabbath, the band he led from 1968 until he was fired in 1979 for drug and alcohol abuse, but not before leaving an indelible mark on the world of heavy metal. He bounced back the next year with a solo career alongside guitarist Randy Rhoads. And just as Osbourne’s music career began to fade, he resurrected it with a reality series, MTV’s The Osbournes, which made celebrities out of his entire family (for better or worse).
Osbourne was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006. He earned 12 Grammy nominations and five wins, three as a solo artist and two as a member of Black Sabbath. (He also won an Emmy for The Osbournes.) He had one hell of a run.
Once our resident Ozzy Osbourne superfan processes his death and recovers, we’ll have a right and proper tribute to the legendary musician. In the meantime, may his memory be a blessing
