Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76, according to various media outlets based on his family. The news comes just two weeks after his last performance with Black Sabbath. The singer had been battling Parkinson’s disease.
“It is with greater sadness than words can express that we must announce the passing of our beloved Ozzy Osbourne this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Louis,” reads a statement seen by, among others, British Sky News.
Osbourne was one of the biggest rock stars of his time. With Black Sabbath, he sold more than 75 million albums worldwide. At the beginning of July, Osbourne played his last live performance with Black Sabbath. In their hometown of Birmingham, they said goodbye to tens of thousands of fans together.
Black Sabbath’s devilish image and hard sound made them one of the most influential metal bands of that time. Both the band and Osbourne have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Osbourne’s fame expanded to the general public in the early 2000s when he, along with his wife Sharon Osbourne and two of their children, participated in the reality show The Osbournes on MTV.
The singer had been struggling with health problems since 2003 after a near-fatal quad crash. In 2020, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and in 2023, he stopped touring after back surgery.
Almost two weeks ago, Osbourne announced that a new book about him, titled Last Rites, will be released on October 7. It will be his second memoir. In 2010, Osbourne released his first memoir, titled I Am Ozzy.