Remembering Ozzy Osbourne: Legendary Rocker’s Final Concert and Fan Tributes

Written By AV .

Legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has died at 76, his family confirmed in a statement. “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,” the Osbournes wrote. “He was with his family and surrounded by love”. The news shocked fans worldwide, coming just weeks after Ozzy’s celebrated farewell performance. Fans and bandmates immediately poured out grief and memories online – from “Ozzy Forever” tributes to thousands of personal comments - as the heavy metal icon’s life and legacy are commemorated.

Official Announcement & Family Reaction

Ozzy’s death was announced July 22, 2025 (age 76) via the rocker’s official social media channels. His wife Sharon and children Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis Osbourne posted the family statement, asking for privacy: “We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time”. Ozzy had battled Parkinson’s disease for years, but the sudden news still stunned the rock community. Fellow legends immediately paid tribute: Black Sabbath simply posted “Ozzy Forever,” while Elton John called him “a dear friend and a true trailblazer” and promised to “miss him dearly”. Even days before his passing, Ozzy’s own social media hinted at an emotional goodbye: his final Instagram post featured the concert poster for Back to the Beginning (his Birmingham farewell show) without caption, accompanied by “Mr. Crowley” playing in the background.

These online tributes blended family grief with fandom love. On Ozzy’s final Instagram post alone, thousands of fans commented instantly. Many wrote things like “Thank you for sharing your life with us. Love you and rest well” and simply “Legend” or “Forever in our hearts.”. Likewise, Sharon Osbourne’s social media was flooded with condolences. One fan on Sharon’s page wrote, “Rest in peace Ozzy… We love you Sharon! Strength to you and your family!” and another, “Sorry for your loss Sharon… RIP Ozzy and thanks for the joy and music.”. Fans shared personal stories too: “I literally changed my life and became a heavy metal obsessed fan” because of him, wrote one commenter. These heartfelt messages - “‘Rest in peace - thank you for everything,’” “The Prince of Darkness Forever,” and “We will never forget you, legend!” among them - showed the profound impact Ozzy had on his fans. As one Instagram follower summed up Ozzy’s mark on music: “Thank you for the awesome music. You truly pioneered the way of metal today.”

Birmingham Farewell Concert: “Back to the Beginning”

Just weeks before his death, Ozzy held what would become his final show: the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park stadium in his hometown, Birmingham, on July 5, 2025. Billed as a one-night-only farewell fundraiser, this 10-hour star-studded concert reunited Ozzy with Black Sabbath for the first time in 20 years. The event drew 40,000 fans to Villa Park – and another 5.8 million online viewers - making it one of the largest-ever music events. Over a dozen rock and metal legends paid tribute on stage that day (Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, and more), culminating in Ozzy performing a solo set from a bat-shaped throne on stage. Despite his illness, he sang passionately through classics like “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “Suicide Solution”, and even joked, “It’s so good to be on this f---ing stage, you have no idea”. He then closed the night with Black Sabbath originals (“War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” etc.), joined by his old bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Ozzy told the crowd, visibly moved, as fans cheered wildly.

The concert also set a charity record. Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine), who organized the event, later announced that Back to the Beginning raised $190 million for charity. Proceeds were split between Ozzy’s causes: Cure Parkinson’s (in honor of Ozzy’s own diagnosis), Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. Morello wrote on Instagram: “We set out to create the greatest day in the history of heavy metal…We raised a ton of money for a great cause and so many great musicians & bands & fans all over the world paid tribute to the all time greats”. In fact, it was officially declared the highest-grossing charity concert ever, with roughly £140 million ($190M) raised. This final show truly became Ozzy’s “Back to the Beginning” – returning to where his music began in the city that birthed heavy metal. As Ozzy himself said when announcing it, “It’s my time to go back to the beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. Birmingham is the true home of metal.”

Fan Tributes and Ozzy’s Legacy

Fans who attended (or streamed) the Birmingham show recall it as an emotional highlight. Many said they felt changed that day. “I love Ozzy that much,” one fan, London teacher Runo Gokdemir, told Reuters – he had even sold his car for 400 pounds to buy a ticket. “When I had a tough time in my teenage years, I listened to Black Sabbath, and Ozzy has got me through a lot,” he said of what Ozzy’s music meant to him. Another fan, Tom Mould, who camped out 12 hours for a front-row spot, smiled after the show and said simply, “He’s still got it” – amazed that Ozzy could perform so powerfully after such a long career. Even fans who never met him shared how he shaped their lives. On Sharon’s social page, one wrote, “I never got the chance to see Ozzy… but he literally changed my life and shaped me into a heavy metal obsessed fan”, echoing thousands of similar messages across social media.

Across the internet today, the outpouring of love is immense. Fans are highlighting Ozzy’s witty persona and influence: one Instagram commenter on his final post noted “The final show indeed…You truly pioneered the way of metal today”. Others simply call him “legend,” “icon,” or “Prince of Darkness forever”. Fans frequently mention Ozzy’s humor and warmth – not just his wild stage antics. Many thank him for making them feel seen or giving them an outlet for anger and grief through music. As the People magazine noted, Ozzy’s farewell show marked “the end of an era” for the band that launched heavy metal and made him “one of the most influential frontmen in rock history”. Indeed, fans around the world see his legacy in every power chord and lyric they love.

While sorrow reigns, there is also gratitude. One fan summed up the global feeling: “God bless Black Sabbath. God bless Ozzy Osbourne. It was my honor,” he wrote after the concert. Loudwire reported that the Instagram post announcing Ozzy’s death was flooded with nearly 145,000 fan comments – reflecting on his music, thanking him, or simply crying “RIP Ozzy”. Commenters wrote things like “Rest in peace – thank you for everything,” and “You will live on forever in our hearts”. These messages – mixed with notes of hope that he’s at peace with loved ones – highlight a human bond beyond just music: Ozzy saved people, made them laugh, and helped define a genre. As one fan put it on social media: “If I hadn’t lived this life the way I did, I wouldn’t be Ozzy.” That fearless authenticity inspired fans and fellow musicians alike, and today they join family in remembering “the Prince of Darkness… forever”.

Videos from Ozzy’s Farewell Concert

  • Ozzy Osbourne – “Crazy Train” – Back To The Beginning Live at Villa Park (July 5, 2025) – Fan video of Ozzy performing “Crazy Train” from the farewell show.

  • Black Sabbath – “War Pigs” – Back To The Beginning (Villa Park, 7/5/25) – Footage of Ozzy and Black Sabbath playing their classic “War Pigs” at the final concert.

  • Black Sabbath – “Paranoid” – Ozzy’s Last Live Performance (Villa Park, 7/5/25) – Crowd-shot video of Ozzy singing “Paranoid,” the closing number of the final show.

  • YUNGBLUD feat. Ozzy – “Changes” – Live at Villa Park (Back To The Beginning) – Official clip from the upcoming concert film: rocker Yungblud performs “Changes” alongside Ozzy at the farewell concert.

Sources & References

AV .
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