Ozzy Osbourne Concerts Setlist

Known as the Prince of Darkness, John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne, also known by his stage name, Ozzy Osbourne, is a heavy metal legend born in the UK. Ozzy co-founded the legendary metal band Black Sabbath in 1968 and sang on albums like "Paranoid" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", which shaped heavy metal music and influenced many metal and rock bands that emerged later.

Despite being fired from Black Sabbath in 79 due to substance abuse, he rejoined the band in 97 and took part in the band's final album, "13" in 2013, followed by a farewell tour ending in 2017 in Birmingham, UK.

Raised in a modest home with five siblings, Ozzy earned the nickname "Ozzy" as a child. He struggled with dyslexia and faced challenges at school, including bullying and later, attempts at suicide. Leaving school at 15, he worked various jobs before turning to music, inspired by The Beatles' early hits. His tumultuous early life, including a brief stint in prison, shaped his journey to becoming a rock star.

In late 1967, Geezer Butler formed Rare Breed with Ozzy as vocalist, but it disbanded after two shows. They regrouped as Polka Tulk Blues with Tony Iommi and Bill Ward from Mythology, later becoming Black Sabbath in August 1969. Inspired by a film, their eerie blend of heavy blues and dark themes resonated with fans who enjoyed the scare. Butler's occult experience influenced their lyrics, notably their first dark song, "Black Sabbath". Despite modest backing from Warner Bros., their debut album, with Iommi's riffs and Ozzy's vocals, quickly found success, though initially unpopular with women.

In 1978, Ozzy briefly left Black Sabbath to work on his solo project, Blizzard of Ozz, named by his father. Backed by members of Necromandus, his first solo band soon formed. Upon the band's request, Ozzy rejoined Sabbath and they spent five months recording Never Say Die! in Toronto, but struggled with drug use and disorganization in the studio. The subsequent tour with Van Halen as an opener received mixed reviews, with Sabbath's performance criticized as lackluster compared to the energetic Van Halen. Ozzy's last show with Black Sabbath until 1985 was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, marking a seven-year hiatus from the band.

After leaving Black Sabbath, Ozzy indulged in drugs and alcohol, feeling it was his last hurrah before returning home to Birmingham and unemployment benefits. However, Don Arden of Jet Records signed him and sent Sharon to Los Angeles to oversee Ozzy's well-being. Arden initially hoped Ozzy would rejoin Sabbath but later suggested naming his new band "Son of Sabbath," an idea Ozzy rejected. Sharon also proposed forming a supergroup with guitarist Gary Moore, though Moore recalled declining the offer, sympathizing with Ozzy's persistent attempts to recruit him into the project.

In 2005, Ozzy launched the box set "Prince of Darkness," featuring live performances, B-sides, demos, and singles across its first two discs. The third disc included duets and unique tracks with artists such as Miss Piggy on "Born to Be Wild." The fourth disc presented entirely new material, where Ozzy covered songs by his major influences and favorite bands like The Beatles, John Lennon, and David Bowie. Later that year, in November 2005, he released the covers album "Under Cover," which expanded on the material from the fourth disc of "Prince of Darkness" with three additional songs. Ozzy's band for this album featured Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains on guitar, Chris Wyse on bass, and Mike Bordin of Faith No More on drums.

Ozzy, the Prince of Darkness, had an extremely successful career. The singer has sold over 100 million albums through his solo work and with Black Sabbath. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 with Black Sabbath and as a solo artist in 2024, also receiving honors from the UK Music Hall of Fame. He has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham Walk of Stars, and received the Global Icon Award at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards. In 2015, he was honored with the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Ozzy reached heightened celebrity status through his own brand of reality television with "The Osbournes," a series that showcased the daily life of Ozzy and his family—wife Sharon, children Jack and Kelly, and occasional appearances by son Louis, though eldest daughter Aimee did not participate. Premiering in 2002, the show became one of MTV's biggest hits, concluding with its final episode.

Ozzy's enduring influence has earned him the title "Godfather of Metal".