It’s a sad time for music fans across the globe as news comes of the passing of rock and heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, age 76, on July 22. 

Osbourne, also known by his stage persona “Prince of Darkness,” was best known as the lead singer for the influential heavy metal band Black Sabbath. The British musician was instrumental in the foundation of the heavy metal subculture and music. 

Born as John Michael Osbourne in 1948, in Warwickshire, England, the music icon rose from a troubled past and went on to become a global icon. 

Osbourne started in his first band Rare Breed in 1967, with members who would eventually form Black Sabbath.  

Black Sabbath’s early albums “Black Sabbath” (1970), “Paranoid” (1970) and “Master of Reality” (1971) are considered by many to have laid the foundation for heavy metal music as a genre.  

Osbourne was well known for his dark and macabre themes and musical style. 

Amid the group’s success, Osbourne struggled with drug usage.  

He was ejected from Black Sabbath for substance abuse issues in 1979 but would rejoin again later on. This led to his first solo album in 1980, “Blizzard of Ozz.” 

Osbourne continued to show success through his long career, leading to his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006 and again in 2024 as a solo artist.

Outside of music, Osbourne became a global cultural phenomenon with his own reality show, “The Osbournes.” The show ran on MTV from 2002 until 2005 and featured the home and life of Osbourne, his wife Sharon Osbourne and two of their children. The show was a huge success and helped cement Osbourne’s impact on pop culture. 

Whether you admired his music or just enjoyed his antics or his dark personality, Ozzy Osbourne’s impact on music and culture is undeniable and long lasting.