The Prince of Darkness himself! Ozzy Osbourne has been rocking out since first bursting onto the music scene in the 1970s. Born in Marston Green, England, on December 3, 1948, John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne rose to fame as the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath.
After releasing a decade’s worth of hit albums with the band, Ozzy parted ways with Black Sabbath in 1979 amid well-documented struggles with addiction. That didn’t stop him from launching a wildly successful solo career, during which he released seven multi-platinum albums that cemented his status as a heavy metal icon. In the 2000s, Ozzy found a new generation of fans with MTV’s The Osbournes, which premiered in March 2002 and offered an unfiltered look at his family life alongside wife Sharon, daughter Kelly, and son Jack—becoming one of the first major unscripted reality shows.
Ozzy continued to release new music into his seventies, including the solo album Ordinary Man in February 2020. That same year, he revealed he had been diagnosed with a mild, genetic form of Parkinson’s disease, which progressively worsened in the following years. By early 2025, Ozzy could no longer walk and was performing seated during his final shows. In February 2023, he announced his retirement from touring, explaining to fans that a series of back surgeries had left him too “physically weak” to continue safely. He played his final concert on July 5, 2025, reuniting with Black Sabbath for an emotional farewell performance in Birmingham.
Let’s look back at how Ozzy has raised hell over the years. For more photos of the Prince of Darkness, check out the rest of the gallery!
