Has Ozzy Osbourne Passed Away? Rocker Dies After Battle With Rare Parkinson's Variant

Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath and one of heavy metal's most influential figures, has died aged 76. His passing comes less than three weeks after what would become his final performance, a farewell show with his original bandmates at Villa Park in Birmingham.

A statement released by his family on Tuesday read: '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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.'

A Poignant Last Show

On 5 July 2025, Osbourne reunited on stage with fellow Black Sabbath members Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward in their hometown of Birmingham. Performing from a throne adorned with bat wings, the set included Paranoid and marked the first time the original lineup had performed together in two decades.

The event, titled Back to the Beginning, featured performances by Metallica, Slayer and Guns N' Roses, and drew a crowd of thousands. Osbourne, visibly moved, grinned widely as fans chanted his name — a final tribute to a performer whose career had spanned more than five decades.

Struggles With Health

The performance was all the more remarkable given the extent of Ozzy's health struggles in recent years. In 2019, he suffered a serious fall at home in Los Angeles, aggravating a pre-existing spinal injury and requiring extensive surgery. That same year, he was also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, though he waited until January 2020 to share the news publicly.

His specific diagnosis was Parkin 2 — a rare, inherited form of Parkinson's disease. Unlike typical Parkinson's, which is generally caused by environmental or age-related factors, Parkin 2 is linked to a mutation in the PRKN gene and often presents earlier in life. Symptoms include muscle stiffness, tremors, difficulty with coordination, and fatigue. While it tends to progress more slowly than other types of Parkinson's, it is still degenerative and currently incurable.

In an emotional interview with Good Morning America, Ozzy said: 'A year ago I was in a terrible state. I'm on a host of medication, mainly for the surgery. I've got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold. I don't know if it's the Parkinson's or what. That's the problem.'

Sharon Osbourne added: 'It's Parkin 2 which is a form of Parkinson's. There are so many different types. It's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does affect the nerves in your body. It's like you'll have a good day, then a good day and then a really bad day.'

Ozzy also battled other health issues, including complications from the spinal surgery, neck pain, and mobility issues, which led him to cancel tours and appearances over the years. Despite undergoing stem cell therapy, plasma treatments, and even groundbreaking robotic-assisted rehabilitation, he often appeared frail in public.

Tributes and Legacy

Tributes have poured in since the announcement of his death. Whitesnake's David Coverdale shared on X: 'My Sincere Condolences To Sharon, The Family, Friends & Fans.' Actor Jason Momoa posted: 'All my aloha @sharonosbourne and ohana. So grateful. RIP.'

Ozzy's career was marked by controversy and brilliance. His reputation as the 'Prince of Darkness' grew with outrageous stage antics — including the infamous incident where he bit the head off a bat — and a string of genre-defining hits both solo and with Black Sabbath.

Despite years of addiction and public struggles, he reinvented himself as a reality star in The Osbournes, and later returned to music with renewed vigour.

His death closes the chapter on one of rock's most turbulent, iconic lives — but his influence will echo for generations.