Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath, died on July 22, 2025. He was 76.
His death was confirmed in a statement shared by his family on Instagram. “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.”
Ozzy is survived by his wife Sharon, daughters Kelly and Aimee, and son Jack. He also leaves behind Jessica, Louis, and Elliot—his children from his first marriage to Thelma Riley.
Just weeks before, on July 5, Ozzy performed his final show during a Black Sabbath reunion concert in Birmingham, England. Over 40,000 fans were there, including stars like Jason Momoa and Steven Tyler. It was the first time the full band had played together in twenty years.
Elton John also paid tribute to him on Instagram. The singer and songwriter called Ozzy a dear friend and a true legend. “He secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods,” wrote the 19th EGOT winner. “I will miss him dearly.”
Here’s what we know about his funeral plans, final words, and the illness Osbourne faced before his death.
Ozzy Osbourne’s Funeral Arrangements
As of now, the Osbourne family has not released any information about Ozzy’s funeral. They’ve requested privacy during this time, and no details have been shared about his casket, burial location, or other arrangements.
A public tribute or memorial may be announced in the coming weeks, but for now, the family is grieving in private.
The Song He Wanted Played at His Funeral
Osbourne had clear thoughts about how he wanted his funeral to sound. He didn’t want any greatest hits, and he especially didn’t want anything cheerful. “I definitely don’t want a fucking happy song — I’m dead,” he told NME in 2016, as reported by Far Out Magazine.
When asked what song he would choose, he mentioned In My Life by The Beatles. It wasn’t part of his usual favorites list, but the track reflected the kind of farewell he had in mind.
He had also considered songs from Sgt. Pepper’s and Revolver, but eventually settled on In My Life.
His Long Battle With Illness
Ozzy lived through years of pain and physical decline before his death. He had been battling Parkinson’s disease, a disorder that affected his movement and made it hard for him to stand or walk.
The diagnosis wasn’t shared publicly until 2020, but his wife Sharon later said he was first diagnosed in 2003.
In 2019, he was forced to cancel his European tour dates after being hospitalized with a respiratory infection. That same year, he reached the U.S. Top 10 with Post Malone’s Take What You Want, marking his first hit at that level since the 1980s.
He also released a new solo album, Ordinary Man, in 2020, but had to cancel more shows to undergo treatment in Switzerland.
As the years went on, the surgeries piled up. One of them, he said, went wrong and left him nearly crippled. Still, in 2022, he released what would become his final album, Patient Number 9.
By 2023, he knew touring was over. In an interview, he said he just wanted to do one last show for the fans. “If I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man,” he told Rolling Stone. That summer, he pulled out of another festival and said giving up the stage felt like saying goodbye to the best part of his life.
His wife, Sharon, spoke about how hard it was to watch his health fade. In a 2022 documentary, she said, “When I look at my husband, my heart breaks for him… sometimes when I look at him and he doesn’t know I’m looking, I’m crying.”
Ozzy Osbourne’s Final Words
There are no public details about Osbourne’s last spoken words. But his final Instagram post, shared just one day before his death, has drawn attention from fans around the world.
On July 21, he posted a backstage photo from his final concert, Back to the Beginning, with a sign reading: “The Final Show” and the names of the original Black Sabbath members — Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Ward. No caption was included. Only the song Mr. Crowley played in the background.
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Two days earlier, he had posted a clip promoting the cinema premiere of The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne, which took place in Birmingham on July 4. The event included two screenings and a Q&A with his son, Jack.
