Ozzy Osbourne, the pioneering heavy metal frontman of Black Sabbath and beloved reality television star, died on July 22, 2025 from a heart attack following years of serious health issues. According to his death certificate, filed in London and obtained by The New York Times, the 76-year-old rock icon suffered from coronary artery disease, Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction, and ultimately succumbed to acute myocardial infarction and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
The certificate — submitted by his daughter Aimée Osbourne — officially lists his occupation as "Songwriter, Performer and Rock Legend." It confirms what fans had long feared: Ozzy's decades-long battle with chronic illness had reached a final, tragic point.
On the day of his death, an air ambulance was dispatched to Ozzy's home near Chalfont St. Giles in Buckinghamshire, England. The Thames Valley Air Ambulance service confirmed that its team provided advanced critical care at the scene. Flight data from Flightradar24 shows the helicopter flew to Harefield Hospital in Uxbridge, London, where it remained for about an hour before departing.
The Osbourne family's initial announcement of his death did not include a cause, though the singer had openly discussed his declining health in recent years. In a February radio interview, he revealed he could no longer walk.
A Long Battle with Illness
Ozzy Osbourne's health struggles had been widely reported. He had been diagnosed with a variant of Parkinson's disease in 2019, endured multiple spinal surgeries following a fall, and coped with chronic pain and mobility issues. His wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, had announced earlier in 2025 that the family expected his July 5 performance in Birmingham to be his last concert.
That show, called Back to the Beginning, was staged at Villa Park, just minutes from his childhood home. In a deeply emotional moment, Ozzy addressed the crowd: "I've been laid up for six years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Back to the Beginning was a special one-off performance by Ozzy and the original members of Black Sabbath, celebrating the band’s influential legacy and revisiting the roots of their heavy metal journey. The show brought together Ozzy, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler for a powerful setlist filled with classics from their earliest albums. The event saw Ozzy perform two brief sets — one of solo material and another with the original Black Sabbath lineup. It would be his final public performance.
The End of an Era
Ozzy Osbourne's influence on rock and metal is immeasurable. As Black Sabbath's frontman, he helped define heavy metal's sound and image in the early 1970s. His theatrical, often macabre stage presence and distinctive voice inspired generations of musicians, from Metallica and Slayer to Anthrax and beyond.
In the 2000s, Ozzy found a new audience as a reality television personality on MTV's The Osbournes, where his chaotic yet lovable family dynamic captivated millions of viewers.
Following his death, Birmingham — the city where his story began — became the center of mourning. On July 30, thousands of fans lined the streets for a funeral procession, watching as a hearse carried Ozzy's coffin through the city ahead of a private service. Memorials sprung up at the Black Sabbath Bridge and other local landmarks, adorned with flowers, photographs, and personal tributes.
All hail Ozzy Osbourne into eternity.
