Heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne has died, aged 76, just weeks after his final concert.

His family confirmed the singer and reality star’s death on Tuesday (early Wednesday).

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” they said, in a statement cited by UK media.

“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

The man who came to be known as the “Prince of Darkness” formed Black Sabbath in 1968 in Birmingham, a city then known for its heavy industry that became the crucible of the British metal scene. 

From devil imagery to eating live bat onstage

Black Sabbath’s devil imagery and thunderous sound made them one of the era’s most influential — and parent-scaring — metal acts. 

Both the band and Osbourne as a solo artist have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In a career that lasted a staggering length of time, Osbourne lent his iconic voice to hard rock classics such as Paranoid, War Pigs, Iron Man and Heaven and Hell.

He also infamously ate a bat live onstage, an accident – he has said he thought it was plastic – that forced him to rush to hospital after the gig but only added to his myth.

Osbourne’s fame expanded into the mainstream in the early 2000s, when he joined his wife Sharon Osbourne, and two of their children, Kelly and Jack, in the MTV reality TV show The Osbournes.

He has struggled with health issues since 2003 following a near-fatal quad bike crash. He revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020 and paused touring in 2023 after spinal surgery.

On July 6, hard-rock royalty and some 40,000 fans gathered for an ear-splitting tribute to the icon as the original Black Sabbath lineup performed for the final time at Villa Park football stadium.

“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Osbourne said on the night. 

“You’re all … special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”

Osbourne performed several songs solo before being joined onstage, for the first time in 20 years, by Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward. The band ended a short set with Paranoid.

It capped a day-long metal festival that included performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N’Roses. 

Artists who sent plaudits and well-wishes included Jack Black, Dolly Parton and Elton John.

“You are one of the most remarkable singers of our time,” John said.

“You are the king, you are the legend.”

– Reported with Associated Press