Just weeks ago, Black Sabbath gave fans one last miracle: a powerful farewell show at Birmingham’s Villa Park, with Ozzy Osbourne seated on a throne, defying age and illness to sing with the fire that built a genre.
Now, the world mourns. Ozzy Osbourne, the voice that birthed heavy metal, has passed away at the age of 76 — and the silence left behind is deafening.
Guitar legend Tony Iommi, Ozzy’s lifelong bandmate and brother-in-arms, shared a heartbreaking tribute:
“I just can’t believe it! My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park. It’s just such heartbreaking news—I can’t really find the words. There won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother… Rest in peace, Oz.”
The July 5 “Back to the Beginning” reunion was more than a concert. It was history. It was heart. And it was Ozzy’s final bow — surrounded by fellow rock icons like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, and Steven Tyler. Despite his battle with advanced Parkinson’s, Ozzy delivered a performance that shook 45,000 fans and raised £140 million for Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Hospice.
The rest of the Sabbath family shared in Iommi’s grief:
Geezer Butler: “Goodbye dear friend… so glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.”
Bill Ward: “Where will I find you now?… You’re forever in my heart.”
Ozzy passed peacefully on July 22, just 17 days after that emotional night. He was surrounded by his beloved family.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world:
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin): “Sail on up there… you truly changed the planet of rock.”
Elton John, Metallica, Green Day, and others honored the icon with messages of love and loss.
Aston Villa FC, where Ozzy was a proud lifelong supporter, wrote: “He always held a special connection to the club… he’ll never be forgotten.”
Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance wasn’t just a concert — it was a curtain call on a life of rebellion, resilience, and raw rock ‘n’ roll brilliance. As Tony Iommi said, Black Sabbath’s final moment together was exactly as it should be: united, legendary, and unforgettable.
