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Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76.
According to a statement TMZ obtained from his family, the Prince of Darkness, responsible for timeless hits like "Crazy Train," "Paranoid," and "War Pigs," died on Tuesday (July 22) "surrounded by love." The tragic news arrives on the heels of his final performance with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, as part of the heavy metal group's "Back to the Beginning" farewell concert on July 5.
Osbourne, born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, began his professional career as a musician in 1968 after forming Black Sabbath with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward, per AllMusic.
The standouts released a slew of platinum records, including Master of Reality and Paranoid, before Osbourne was fired in 1978 due to drug abuse and irreconcilable differences with his bandmates. The "I Don't Know" hitmaker, managed by his wife, Sharon Osbourne, embarked on a solo project and released his first record, Blizzard of Ozz, with his new band in 1980.
The record quickly climbed the charts in the U.K. and the U.S., and Blizzard of Ozz (also the name of his group) released additional albums that often surpassed Black Sabbath's records in popularity. The group's fortune shifted after Osbourne bit the head off of a live bat thrown on stage by a fan in 1992. Not long after, Blizzard of Ozz's guitarist Randy Rhoads, a close friend of Osbourne's, passed away and sent the star spiraling into depression.
The band continued to release records with their new guitarist, Jake E. Lee, and went on tour with Mötley Crüe in 1984. Osbourne announced his retirement in 1991 and planned to exit the industry in 1993 following the creation of his live double album, Live & Loud.
However, in 1995, the singer discovered that retirement was not for him and released The Ozzfest in 1996, which went on to be one of the top-selling tours of 1997 with openers Pantera, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie.
In 2001, Osbourne fronted a reality TV series, The Osbournes, with his family, and proceeded to release a string of albums into the 20-teens, launching his first solo album in over a decade, Ordinary Man, in 2020. That same year, the star announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and had been struggling with the condition since 2003.
Most recently, Osbourne reunited with his original Black Sabbath crew for a benefit concert, standing out as the group's final performance.
For more, read Black Sabbath And Ozzy Osbourne Unveil New Plans For Back To The Beginning.
Listen to Ozzy Osbourne's life in music on iHeartRadio's "Remembering Ozzy Osbourne" playlist, and watch an interview he did with iHeartRadio ICONS at the beginning of the decade below.