Ozzy Osbourne

The Prince of Darkness

Listen to some of Ozzy's greatest hits on this Spotify playlist:

A Journey Through Ozzy Osbourne's Heavy Metal Legacy

Born on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England, John Michael Osbourne, better known as Ozzy Osbourne, became one of the most iconic figures in heavy metal history.

  • 1967 - Ozzy joins his first heavy metal band, Rare Breed, as the lead vocalist.
  • 1968 - Rare Breed changes its name to Earth, and begins to incorporate darker and heavier themes into its music.
  • 1969 - Earth changes its name to Black Sabbath, and releases its first self-titled album. The album is a critical and commercial success, and is often cited as one of the first heavy metal albums.
  • 1970-1978 - Black Sabbath releases several more albums with Ozzy as the lead vocalist, including Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. The band becomes one of the most influential and successful in the heavy metal genre.
  • 1979 - Ozzy is fired from Black Sabbath due to his drug and alcohol abuse.
  • 1980-1981 - Ozzy releases his debut solo album, Blizzard of Ozz, which becomes a commercial success and features several hits, including "Crazy Train."
  • 1982-1983 - Ozzy releases his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, and goes on tour to support it. However, the tour is cut short due to his ongoing substance abuse issues.
  • 1985-1986 - Ozzy achieves sobriety and releases the album The Ultimate Sin.
  • 1987-1992 - Ozzy releases the albums No Rest for the Wicked, No More Tears, and Ozzmosis. These albums feature collaborations with some of the biggest names in heavy metal, including Zakk Wylde and Randy Rhoads.
  • 1995 - Ozzy reunites with Black Sabbath for the first time in over 15 years, and goes on tour with the band.
  • 1997-2001 - Ozzy releases the albums Ozzmosis, Down to Earth, and Black Rain.
  • 2010-2011 - Ozzy releases the album Scream, and goes on tour to support it.
  • 2013-2014 - Ozzy collaborates with guitarist Gus G. on the album Firewind, and releases a solo album titled 13.
  • 2016 - Black Sabbath plays its final show in Birmingham, England, marking the end of the band's 49-year career.
  • 2017 - Ozzy announces that he will embark on a farewell tour, which is set to begin in 2018.
  • 2018 - Ozzy is hospitalized due to complications from the flu, and is forced to cancel several tour dates.
  • 2019 - Ozzy announces that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and is forced to cancel all of his 2019 tour dates.
  • 2020 - Ozzy releases his 12th studio album, Ordinary Man, which features collaborations with Elton John, Post Malone, and others.
  • 2021 - Ozzy announces that he is working on a new album, which will be his final solo release.