Either clad in black or bare-chested, the singer was often the target of parents’ groups for his imagery and once caused an uproar for biting the head off a bat. Later, he would reveal himself to be a doddering and sweet father on the reality TV show The Osbournes.
Black Sabbath’s 1969 self-titled debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal. It came during the height of the Vietnam War and crashed the hippie party, dripping menace and foreboding. The cover of the record was of a spooky figure against a stark landscape. The music was loud, dense and angry, and marked a shift in rock ‘n’ roll.
The band’s second album, “Paranoid,” included such classic metal tunes as “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Fairies Wear Boots.” Both albums were voted among the top 10 greatest heavy metal albums of all time by readers of Rolling Stone magazine.
The band has been widely credited as being a key influence for major acts since.
“Black Sabbath are the Beatles of heavy metal. Anybody who’s serious about metal will tell you it all comes down to Sabbath,” Dave Navarro of the band Jane’s Addiction wrote in a 2010 tribute in Rolling Stone.
Sabbath sacked Osbourne in 1979 for his legendary excesses, like showing up late for rehearsals and missing gigs. “We knew we didn’t really have a choice but to sack him because he was just so out of control. But we were all very down about the situation,” wrote bassist Terry “Geezer” Butler in his memoir, “Into the Void.”
Fans gathered in Birmingham weeks ago for Black Sabbath’s final concert.Credit: AFP
Osbourne was twice inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — once with Sabbath in 2006 and again in 2024 as a solo artist.
Despite the infamous bat episode, Osbourne later earned the adoration of animal rights activists for his promotion of certain animal welfare causes, including most recently Save the Chimps.
In recent years, Osbourne has been spotted walking with a cane, often with the help of family or assistants.
In 2023, he released a statement on a tour cancellation saying “in all good conscience, I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required”.
The original Sabbath lineup reunited for the first time in 20 years in July 2025 in the UK for what Osborne said would be his final concert. “Let the madness begin!” he told 42,000 fans while performing in Birmingham.
He later paid tribute to his supporters.
“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. “You’re all … special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”