Written By Caine Blackthorn
I was heartbroken yesterday when the news swept through. Ozzy Osbourne had indeed passed on July 22, 2025. My soul felt the ground give way. To the world, he was the Prince of Darkness but to me, losing him was like bidding farewell to a beloved member of the family.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, Ozzy didn’t just sing heavy metal, he forged it. As the fiery frontman of Black Sabbath from 1968 through 1978, albums like Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath didn’t merely rock, they vaulted the blueprint for modern metal into the collective consciousness. Fired amid personal demons, he roared back solo in 1980 with Blizzard of Ozz, launching a phenomenally successful run. Thirteen studio albums, seven platinum certified in the U.S. and over 100 million records sold with Sabbath.
Ozzy Osbourne last hurrah was as electrifying as you’d expect. On July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in his hometown, he reunited with Black Sabbath’s original lineup for a mythic “Back to the Beginning” benefit concert. Sitting on a throne. He was unable to walk due to Parkinson’s yet he still commanded the stage and many other hearts across the globe streaming the concert. Just weeks later, he left us peacefully, surrounded by family.
And then there was The Osbournes. Long before TikTok overshared routines, Ozzy Osbourne invited the world into his living room and what a living room it was. Cameras rolled, dogs barked, doors slammed, and the f-bomb fell like confetti at a New Year’s Eve party. We didn’t just get Ozzy the Prince of Darkness, we got Ozzy the dad, mumbling through his mansion like a lost wizard while Sharon orchestrated the universe with a phone in one hand and a Yorkshire terrier in the other. Jack and Kelly perfected the fine art of teenage rebellion on prime time TV, and somehow, amid the chaos, we all fell a little more in love with him. It was raw, unfiltered, and real proof that behind the godlike riffs was a family just as gloriously dysfunctional as the rest of us.
He was the founding force behind Ozzfest, a festival empire that spotlighted generations of emerging metal acts. Inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. First with Black Sabbath in 2006 and then solo in 2024. There was simply no crowd bigger than Ozzy Osbourne in the pantheon of music.
Tributes have been pouring in from legends around the globe in the music and entertainment industry and sports franchises. All echoing with riffs from his hit songs as heartfelt eulogies.
Metal fans, brace yourselves, this is more than a loss. It’s a gaping void. Ozzy wasn’t just metal, he was the cathedral. His raw voice, his chaotic energy, his generosity, these weren’t stage gimmicks. They were the real Ozzy. Even at the edge of Parkinson’s, he gave his final bow not with resignation but defiance, proving metal isn’t about bruising volume, it’s about enduring spirit.
I was devastated yesterday. I’m still devastated now. And I know I’m not alone. His departure feels like losing your own, because Ozzy was ours. Every power chord, every guttural howl, every laugh and stumble. He invited us all into that wild, beautiful chaos. His music united us in a glorious communion of rebellion and soul, and his legacy will echo for generations to come.
From Metal Lair, our condolences go out the the Osbourne family. And to all those who called him friend, father, partner, or hero. Ozzy, you might be gone, but your thunder will never fade.
