On July 22, 2025, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne passed away in Birmingham. The Black Sabbath frontman was 76 years old and a few weeks ago had held his last concert in his hometown, where it all began. Breaking the news was his family, who wrote words of deep sadness under the last post on the singer’s Instagram page. In 2020, it was the Prince of Darkness himself who had revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Gods of Metal in Milan and the last concert in Birmingham
The heavy metal scene is well-established in Italy, particularly in Milan where there is no shortage of festivals and evenings dedicated to the genre. Over the years, Ozzy and Black Sabbath have performed several times in Italy including the 1998 concert at the Gods of Metal festival in the Lombard capital itself.
Blessed with a unique voice, capable of ranging from dark tones to moments of intense emotion, Ozzy Osbourne defined the sound of metal with his unmistakable style. His last farewell concert was held on July 5, 2025, in Birmingham, an emotional evening that featured great artists and longtime collaborators. His most famous hits include Iron Man, Crazy Train, and No More Tears. Ozzy Osbourne leaves behind an extraordinary musical legacy of innovation and a voice that for decades evoked the shadows and rebellion of the most authentic heavy metal.
Ozzy Osbourne: Black Sabbath and solo career.
Born in Birmingham, England, in 1948, John Michael Osbourne, known as Ozzy Osbourne, was one of the undisputed pioneers of heavy metal. A life marked by ups and downs marked by addictions, a strictly black look at all times, and boisterous performances, which consecrated him to fame with Black Sabbath. The band, founded in 1968, sold millions of records worldwide, becoming a symbol of the genre thanks to iconic albums such as Paranoid and Master of Reality.
In 1979 he ended his adventure with Black Sabbath, but as early as 1980, Ozzy returned to the stage this time as a solo artist with Blizzard of Ozz in 1980, a collaborative piece with young guitarist Randy Rhoads. In the following decades, the Prince of Darkness continued to score big hits with albums such as Diary of a Madman, No More Tears and Ozzmosis, selling more than 50 million records. His ability to reinvent himself without ever losing that dark, rebellious, gloomy edge has ensured him an indelible place in music history.