Ozzy Osbourne, born John Michael Osbourne, is a celebrated English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He gained fame in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Known for his distinct vocal style and stage presence, Osbourne became synonymous with the band's groundbreaking sound and dark imagery, earning him the moniker "Prince of Darkness." After being fired from Black Sabbath, he went on to achieve a successful solo career, solidifying his status as a rock icon and pioneering figure in heavy metal music. He has also appeared in reality television and various other media ventures.
Ozzy Osbourne's father, John Thomas "Jack" Osbourne, was born in 1915.
Ozzy Osbourne's mother, Lilian (née Unitt), was born in 1916.
In December 1948, Ozzy Osbourne was born at Maternity Hospital in Marston Green.
In 1963, after hearing The Beatles' first hit single, Osbourne became a fan and credited their song "She Loves You" with inspiring him to become a musician.
In late 1967, Geezer Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, and recruited Osbourne to be the singer.
In 1968, Osbourne became a founding member of the band Black Sabbath.
In August 1969, the band formerly known as Earth settled on the name Black Sabbath, inspired by the film of the same title.
In 1969, Iommi and Ward responded to Osbourne's flyer seeking a gig. This was the first collaboration of the musicians and they formed a band.
In August 1970, Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" reached number four, marking Ozzy Osbourne's first UK chart appearance.
In 1970, Osbourne provided lead vocals for Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album.
In 1971, Ozzy Osbourne met Thelma Riley at a nightclub in Birmingham and they were married later that year. Ozzy later called his first marriage "a terrible mistake".
In early 1971, Ozzy Osbourne had his first experience with cocaine at a hotel in Denver, Colorado, after a Black Sabbath show with Mountain. Mountain's guitarist, Leslie West, introduced him to the drug.
In September 1972, Black Sabbath released Black Sabbath Vol. 4, which achieved gold status in less than a month despite critical dismissal.
In November 1973, Black Sabbath released the critically acclaimed Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
In July 1975, Black Sabbath released the album Sabotage, which received favorable reviews.
On September 25, 1976, Black Sabbath released Technical Ecstasy, which met with mixed reviews.
Ozzy Osbourne's father, John Thomas "Jack" Osbourne, passed away in 1977.
In May 1978, Black Sabbath began touring in support of Never Say Die! with Van Halen as an opening act.
In June 1978, Black Sabbath recorded their concert at Hammersmith Odeon, which was released on video as Never Say Die.
In 1978, Osbourne left Black Sabbath for three months to pursue a solo project called Blizzard of Ozz, which was suggested by his father.
In 1978, Osbourne provided lead vocals for Black Sabbath's album Never Say Die!
In 1978, Ozzy Osbourne admitted to Sounds magazine that he regularly got high and drunk, questioning the system that led people to substance misuse.
On April 27, 1979, Ozzy Osbourne was ejected from Black Sabbath due to unreliability and substance abuse issues.
In 1979, Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath due to alcohol and drug problems.
In 1979, after being fired from Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne spent three months in his hotel room consuming vast amounts of alcohol and other drugs daily. He credits Sharon with saving his life by offering to manage him.
In late 1979, Ozzy Osbourne formed the Blizzard of Ozz band under the management of the Ardens.
In 1980, Osbourne began a successful solo career with the release of Blizzard of Ozz.
In 1981, Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake were let go, leading to issues regarding owed royalties on the original masters.
In 1981, Don Airey, keyboardist for Ozzy Osbourne, left the band due to the vocalist's substance-misuse issues. Former bassist Rudy Sarzo detailed the frustrations of touring with the vocalist, who was in a state of near-constant inebriation.
In 1981, Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a dove during a meeting with CBS Records executives in Los Angeles, leading to controversy and becoming a part of his infamous persona.
In 1981, Ozzy Osbourne claims in his autobiography that he was invited to a meeting with the head of CBS Europe in Germany. Intoxicated, he performed a striptease on the table and then kissed the record executive on the lips. According to his wife Sharon, he had actually performed a goose-step up and down the table and urinated in the executive's wine, but was too drunk to remember.
In 1981, Ozzy Osbourne made live recordings that were later released as part of the 'Tribute' collection commemorating the fifth anniversary of Rhoads' death.
In 1981, guitarist Randy Rhoads predicted that Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden would "probably get married someday".
On 20 January 1982, Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat during a performance in Des Moines, Iowa, resulting in him being treated for rabies after the bat bit him.
On February 18, 1982, Ozzy Osbourne drunkenly urinated on a cenotaph near the Alamo in Texas and was arrested, leading to a decade-long ban from the city. He also drunkenly fired his entire band and physically attacked Randy Rhoads and Rudy Sarzo.
On March 19, 1982, Randy Rhoads, along with Andrew Aycock and Rachel Youngblood, died in a plane crash in Florida while on tour with Osbourne. This event led to Osbourne falling into a deep depression.
In April 1982, Ozzy Osbourne's tour resumed with Bernie Tormé, but his blues-based style was not well-received by fans, leading to his departure after a few shows.
On July 4, 1982, Ozzy Osbourne married his manager Sharon Arden. The date was intentionally chosen so Ozzy wouldn't forget the anniversary.
In 1982, Ozzy Osbourne was featured as the lead vocalist on the Was (Not Was) pop dance track "Shake Your Head (Let's Go to Bed)".
In September 1983, Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden welcomed their first child, a daughter named Aimee.
In 1983, Jake E. Lee joined Ozzy Osbourne to record the album Bark at the Moon, which quickly became certified gold.
On New Year's Eve 1983, Canadian youth James Jollimore killed a woman and her two sons after listening to the song "Bark at the Moon", claiming the song influenced his actions.
In May 1984, Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, for public intoxication.
In October 1984, Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden welcomed their second child, a daughter named Kelly.
In 1984, California teenager John McCollum committed suicide while listening to Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution", leading to allegations that Osbourne promoted suicide in his songs.
In November 1985, Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden welcomed their third child, a son named Jack. After Jack's birth, Ozzy had a vasectomy.
Ozzy Osbourne reunited with Black Sabbath in 1985.
On May 14, 1986, Ozzy Osbourne's album, The Ultimate Sin, was awarded Platinum status by the RIAA shortly after its release.
In 1986, Ozzy Osbourne appeared at WrestleMania 2, managing The British Bulldogs in their WWF Tag Team Championship win.
In an August 21, 1987 interview with Tommy Vance on BBC Radio 1's Friday Rock Show, Ronnie James Dio discussed replacing Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath.
In 1987, Jake E. Lee and Ozzy Osbourne parted ways. Osbourne commemorated the fifth anniversary of Randy Rhoads' death with Tribute, a collection of live recordings from 1981.
In 1988, Osbourne appeared in The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years and found Zakk Wylde, who was the most enduring replacement for Rhoads.
In 1988, Ozzy Osbourne first collaborated with guitarist Zakk Wylde on the album "No Rest for the Wicked".
In August 1989, Sharon Osbourne claimed that Ozzy had tried to strangle her after returning home from the Moscow Music Peace Festival in a haze of alcohol and drugs. This led to Ozzy spending six months in rehabilitation.
In 1989, Ozzy Osbourne performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival.
In 1991, Ozzy Osbourne released the album No More Tears, which enjoyed significant radio and MTV exposure.
In 1991, Ozzy Osbourne was sued by the parents of Michael Waller for $9 million due to his son's suicide, similar to the 1984 McCollum case, but the courts once again ruled in Osbourne's favour.
In 1992, The New York Times reported that Ozzy Osbourne was a practicing member of the Church of England and prayed before each show, countering accusations of Satanism.
Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tours II" in 2018 was a reference to his 1992 tour of the same name.
On June 28, 1993, the live album Live & Loud mixed by Michael Wagener was released. Intended to be Ozzy's final album, it went platinum four times.
On October 26, 1994, Ozzy Osbourne's album, The Ultimate Sin, was awarded Double Platinum status by the RIAA.
In 1994, Ozzy Osbourne was awarded a Grammy Award for the track "I Don't Want to Change the World" from Live & Loud for Best Metal Performance.
In 1995, Ozzy Osbourne's entire CD catalog was remastered and reissued. He also released Ozzmosis and returned to touring with 'The Retirement Sucks Tour'.
On October 25 and 26, 1996, the first Ozzfest was held in Phoenix, Arizona, and Devore, California.
In early 1996, Geezer Butler and Deen Castronovo left Ozzy Osbourne's band. Mike Inez and Randy Castillo filled in.
As of August 1997, Ozzy Osbourne's album "Blizzard of Ozz" had achieved quadruple platinum status, according to RIAA.
In 1997, Osbourne rejoined Black Sabbath.
In 1997, Ozzy Osbourne reunited with the original members of Black Sabbath during the Ozzfest tour, beginning in West Palm Beach, Florida, and has performed with them periodically since.
In 1997, Ozzy Osbourne's greatest hits package, The Ozzman Cometh, was issued.
In April 1999, Ozzy Osbourne's album Ozzmosis was certified double platinum.
In 2000, Bob Daisley, former band member, filed a lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne, claiming Osbourne was delinquent in paying royalties.
On October 16, 2001, Ozzy Osbourne's album Down to Earth was released.
Ozzy Osbourne's mother, Lilian Osbourne, passed away in 2001.
On March 5, 2002, "The Osbournes", a reality television series featuring the domestic life of Ozzy Osbourne and his family, premiered on MTV.
In June 2002, Ozzy Osbourne performed the Black Sabbath anthem "Paranoid" at the Party at the Palace concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
According to Osbourne in the booklet to the 2002 edition of Diary of a Madman, the bat he bit the head off on January 20, 1982, was alive and bit him, resulting in Osbourne being treated for rabies.
In 2002, Lee Kerslake and Phil Soussan, former band members, filed a lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne, claiming Osbourne was delinquent in paying royalties.
In 2002, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon attended the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, where President George W. Bush acknowledged Ozzy's presence and joked about his song titles.
In 2002, the combat flight simulator Savage Skies was initially developed as Ozzy's Black Skies and was to feature Ozzy Osbourne's likeness and music, but licensing issues led to the removal of the Osbourne branding.
In January 2003, Ozzy Osbourne and his family hosted the 30th Annual American Music Awards, which was marked by lewd remarks and caused Patricia Heaton to walk out in disgust.
In November 2003, a Federal Appeals Court upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by former band members Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake, regarding unpaid royalties and denied credit.
On December 8, 2003, Ozzy Osbourne was rushed into emergency surgery after a quad bike accident on his estate, breaking his collar bone, eight ribs, and a neck vertebra.
In 2003, Ozzy Osbourne recruited former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, though his time with Osbourne would be short.
In 2003, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he was nearly incapacitated by medication prescribed by a Beverly Hills doctor, who allegedly prescribed 13,000 doses of 32 drugs in one year. The doctor was later exonerated.
In 2003, Randy Rhoads was ranked the 85th-greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine for his work on "Diary of a Madman" and "Blizzard of Ozz".
In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine placed "Master of Reality" at number 298 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
According to a 2004 Rolling Stone article, the bat that Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off in January 1982 was alive at the time.
After fully recovering from a quad accident, in 2004 Ozzy Osbourne headlined the Ozzfest, in the reunited Black Sabbath.
In 2004, Ozzy Osbourne received the award for Godlike Genius at the NME Awards in London.
In March 2005, Ozzy Osbourne released a box set called Prince of Darkness, which included live performances, B-sides, demos, singles, duets, and cover songs.
On March 21, 2005, the final episode of "The Osbournes" aired on MTV.
In May 2005, Ozzy Osbourne was diagnosed with Parkin syndrome, a genetic condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, requiring daily medication.
In November 2005, Ozzy Osbourne released the covers album Under Cover, featuring songs from the fourth disc of Prince of Darkness and additional tracks.
In 2005, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon starred in an MTV competition reality show entitled "Battle for Ozzfest".
In 2005, Ozzy Osbourne helped judge the UK series of the X-Factor, where his wife Sharon was one of the main judges.
In 2005, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame both as a solo artist and as a member of Black Sabbath.
In 2005, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame both as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath.
In 2005, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were ranked among the UK's richest couples, with an estimated £100 million earned from recording, touring, and TV shows.
In February 2006, Ozzy Osbourne appeared in a TV commercial for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! in the UK.
In March 2006, Ozzy Osbourne said that he hoped to release a new studio album soon with Zakk Wylde.
In October 2006, Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice, and Geezer Butler announced they would be touring together as Heaven & Hell.
In 2006, Ozzy Osbourne closed just over half the Ozzfest concerts, leaving the others to be closed by System of a Down.
In 2006, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath.
In 2006, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler.
On May 22, 2007, Ozzy Osbourne's album Black Rain was released. It was his first new studio album in almost six years.
After the concert in Bristol, Virginia, in 2006, Ozzy Osbourne announced he would return for another year of Ozzfest in 2007.
In 2007, Ozzy Osbourne was honored at the VH1 Rock Honors, and a bronze star was placed on Broad Street in Birmingham, England, honoring him as the first inductee into The Birmingham Walk of Stars.
In 2007, tickets for the Ozzfest tour were offered to fans free of charge, leading to some controversy.
On February 20, 2008, Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly, and Jack Osbourne hosted the 2008 BRIT Awards held at Earls Court, London.
In 2008, Ozzy Osbourne was crowned with the prestigious Living Legend award in the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
In July 2009, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he was seeking a new guitar player, wanting a change from Zakk Wylde's style.
In August 2009, Ozzy Osbourne performed at the gaming festival BlizzCon with his new guitarist, Gus G.
In October 2009, Ozzy Osbourne published his autobiography, "I Am Ozzy". A movie adaptation was also in the works.
On April 13, 2010, Ozzy Osbourne announced the release date for his album Scream, initially set for June 15, 2010.
In June 2010, Ozzy Osbourne's album Scream had its release date changed to a week later than the initially announced date.
In July 2010, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi chose to discontinue court proceedings regarding the ownership of the Black Sabbath trademark, stating that the issue was never personal, but always business.
In August 2010, Ozzy Osbourne announced that "Life Won't Wait" would be the second single from his album, with the music video directed by his son, Jack. He also mentioned thinking about his next album.
In October 2010, at the TEDMED Conference, scientists from Knome discussed their analysis of Ozzy Osbourne's whole genome, shedding light on his survival despite decades of substance misuse.
In 2010, Ozzy Osbourne appeared as the headliner closing the show after opening acts Halford and Mötley Crüe during the Ozzfest tour.
In 2010, Ozzy Osbourne won the "Literary Achievement" honor for his memoir, I Am Ozzy, at the Guys Choice Awards.
In 2010, during an interview on the Howard Stern Show, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that it took him 19 attempts to pass his driver's license test due to being drunk.
In a 2010 interview with Us Weekly, Ozzy Osbourne stated, "My favourite movie is Monty Python's Life of Brian".
In April 2011, the documentary film "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
In November 2011, the documentary film "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" was released on DVD.
On November 11, 2011, the original Black Sabbath lineup announced their reunion for a world tour and new album.
In the 2011 documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, he stated that The Beatles made him realize he was going to be a rock star.
On 21 May 2012, Black Sabbath played at the O2 Academy in Birmingham, their first concert since their reunion.
In January 2013, Ozzy Osbourne suffered minor burns after a small house fire.
In April 2013, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he had relapsed into smoking, drinking, and drug use for the past year and a half, but had been sober again since early March. He apologized to his family, friends, bandmates, and fans.
On 15 May 2013, Ozzy Osbourne, along with the current members of Black Sabbath, appeared in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation titled "Skin in the Game".
The Black Sabbath album, "13", was released on 11 June 2013, and topped both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200.
On his 65th birthday on December 3, 2013, Ozzy Osbourne asked fans to celebrate by donating to the Royal Marsden cancer charity in London.
In 2013, Osbourne helped record Black Sabbath's final studio album, titled 13.
In October 2014, Ozzy Osbourne released "Memoirs of a Madman", a collection celebrating his solo career. It included a CD with 17 singles and a DVD with music videos, live performances, and interviews.
At the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards, Ozzy Osbourne received the Global Icon Award.
In May 2015, Ozzy Osbourne received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
In August 2015, Epic Records president Sylvia Rhone confirmed that Ozzy Osbourne was working on a new studio album.
In 2015, Ozzy Osbourne received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
In January 2016, Black Sabbath began a farewell tour, titled "The End", signifying the final performances of the band.
On July 24, 2016, The History Channel premiered a comedy reality television series starring Ozzy Osbourne and his son Jack Osbourne named Ozzy & Jack's World Detour.
In 2016, a tram was named after Ozzy Osbourne in his home city of Birmingham.
The final shows of Black Sabbath's The End tour took place on 2 and 4 February 2017, in Birmingham, England.
In April 2017, it was announced that guitarist Zakk Wylde would reunite with Ozzy Osbourne for a summer tour to mark the 30th anniversary of their first collaboration.
Metal Casino, where Ozzy Osbourne became an ambassador, was founded by metal music fans in August 2017.
In November 2017, Ozzy Osbourne appeared on Gogglebox and became an ambassador for Metal Casino.
In November 2017, Ozzy Osbourne was announced as the headline act for the Sunday of the 2018 Download Festival, marking his first solo headline appearance at the festival.
In 2017, Black Sabbath's farewell tour concluded with a performance in Birmingham, marking the end of Osbourne's involvement with the band.
In February 2018, Ozzy Osbourne announced his final world tour, "No More Tours II", with Stone Sour as support for the North American leg. He clarified he would still do gigs but no more extensive world tours.
Ozzy Osbourne headlined the Download Festival in 2018 as part of his final world tour announcement.
On 20 January 2019, Ozzy Osbourne commemorated the 37th anniversary of the bat incident by offering an "Ozzy Plush Bat" toy "with detachable head" for sale on his personal web-store.
By February 12, 2019, Ozzy Osbourne had been moved to intensive care and later cancelled all shows scheduled for 2019 after sustaining serious injuries from a fall at his home while recovering from pneumonia.
In February 2019, Ozzy Osbourne's merchandising partner announced that he would have his own branded online slots game as part of the NetEnt Rocks music-themed portfolio.
On February 6, 2019, Ozzy Osbourne was hospitalized due to flu complications, leading to the postponement of the European leg of his "No More Tours II" tour.
In September 2019, Ozzy Osbourne announced that he had finished his new album in four weeks following his collaboration with Post Malone.
In September 2019, Ozzy Osbourne was featured on Post Malone's song "Take What You Want", which peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Osbourne's first US Top 10 single in 30 years.
In 2019, Ozzy Osbourne suffered an accident that resulted in spinal damage, which led to the cancellation of tours and a move towards smaller-scale performances.
In January 2020, Ozzy Osbourne publicly revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in February 2019.
In February 2020, Ozzy Osbourne cancelled his 2020 North American tour to seek treatment in Switzerland until April.
In February 2020, Ozzy Osbourne released his first solo album in almost ten years, "Ordinary Man", which received positive reviews and debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart. He expressed interest in making another album with Andrew Watt.
In 2020, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he had the smoking-induced lung condition, emphysema.
In a February 2021 interview with Variety, Ozzy Osbourne revealed he had been sober for about seven years.
In April 2021, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame for his various appearances.
In November 2021, Sony announced that Ozzy Osbourne's new album would be released within six months and that Zakk Wylde would have full involvement in the album, following his absence on "Ordinary Man".
On June 24, 2022, Ozzy Osbourne announced his thirteenth album would be titled Patient Number 9 and released the title track with an accompanying music video that same day.
On 8 August 2022, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi made a surprise appearance during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, marking Ozzy's first live performance in three years.
On September 9, 2022, Ozzy Osbourne released his thirteenth album titled Patient Number 9.
In January 2023, Ozzy Osbourne announced the cancellation of the European leg of the "No More Tours II" after postponements, effectively retiring from touring due to spinal damage from a 2019 accident but planned smaller scale performances if his health permitted.
In September 2023, Ozzy Osbourne revealed he was working on a new album with a planned 2024 release and preparing to go on the road following a successful spinal surgery.
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Ozzy Osbourne at number 112 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
In 2024, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.
In 2024, Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his solo career.
Ozzy Osbourne planned to release a new album in 2024, as announced in September 2023.
On 5 February 2025, Ozzy Osbourne announced his final show alongside his band Black Sabbath, for a charity show at Villa Park in Birmingham on 5 July.