Latest news with #HeavyMetal
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
UK's Birmingham to bid final farewell to hometown hero Ozzy Osbourne
LONDON, July 29 — Heavy metal hell-raiser Ozzy Osbourne will be laid to rest on Wednesday, with thousands set to bid the legendary musician a final farewell when his funeral cortege drives through his UK hometown. Officials in the central city of Birmingham said today they have worked with his family to draw up the details of Osbourne's last goodbye, before a private funeral service. 'Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham,' Zafar Iqbal, the lord mayor of the central English city, said in a statement. 'It was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral,' he said. Osbourne, nicknamed the 'Prince of Darkness' and who once bit a bat while on stage while performing with his Black Sabbath band, died on July 22 at the age of 76. The heavy metal star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, passed away just over a fortnight after playing a final gig before a sold-out crowd in Birmingham. Birmingham city council said Osbourne's funeral cortege would pass slowly through the city from 1pm (8pm Malaysian time) down Broad Street to Black Sabbath bridge. The hearse and vehicles will be accompanied by a live brass band performance by local musicians from Bostin' Brass. 'We know how much this moment will mean to his fans. We're proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began,' Iqbal said. Thousands of fans have left heartfelt messages and floral tributes at the bridge in recent days, mourning the death of the musician who was instrumental in pioneering heavy metal, an offshoot of hard rock. Iqbal said the Osbourne family 'have kindly funded all of the associated costs' of the funeral. Black Sabbath enjoyed huge commercial success in the 1970s and 80s after forming in Birmingham in 1968. Black Sabbath's eponymous 1970 debut album made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records, including their most famous song Paranoid. The group went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Osbourne was added for a second time last year as a solo artist. Osbourne gained notoriety for his outlandish stunts, many of them fuelled by his lavish use of drugs and alcohol. In 1989, he was arrested for drunkenly trying to strangle his wife Sharon, which he once mentioned in a 2007 interview. His live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly the 1982 gig in the US city of Des Moines when he bit a bat on stage. Osbourne said he thought a fan had thrown a fake rubber bat onstage, and it was not until he took a bite that he realised it was real. — AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ozzy Osbourne Posthumously Scores 10th Top 10 Album With ‘The Essential Ozzy'
Ozzy Osbourne's legacy continues to cement itself on the charts as fans turn to his music while mourning his death. Osbourne died at age 76 on July 22 after a years-long struggle with Parkinson's disease. Between July 18 and 24, 'The Essential Ozzy Osbourne' earned nearly 44,000 equivalent album units, debuting at No. 7 on the albums chart, according to Luminate. More from Variety Kelly Osbourne References Black Sabbath Lyrics to Mourn Ozzy Osbourne: 'I Feel Unhappy, I Am So Sad' Ozzy Osbourne's Lost Interview: Black Sabbath Icon on Death Threats, Working With Wife Sharon, and Being Mystified by Glam Metal, 'I Even Fancied the F--in' Lead Singer of Poison!' Bizarre Trisha Paytas Baby Reincarnation Theory Goes Viral After Ozzy Osbourne's Death The collection becomes the Prince of Darkness's 10th top 10 album and a powerful tribute to the heavy metal icon. Released in 2003, the album reaches the top 10 for the first time in history. It previously peaked at No. 81 in 2003, the year it was released. The collection was streamed over 48 million times this tracking week, debuting at No. 9 on Billboard's Top Streaming Albums. Osbourne formerly claimed a top 10 in the Billboard 200 with 'Patient Number 9' (No. 3 in 2022), 'Ordinary Man' (No. 3, 2020), 'Scream' (No. 4, 2010), 'Black Rain' (No. 3, 2007), 'Down to Earth' (No. 4, 2001), 'Ozzmosis' (No. 4, 1995), 'No More Tears' (No. 7, 1991), 'Tribute' (with Randy Rhoads, No. 6 in 1987) and 'The Ultimate Sin' (No. 6, 1986). As the frontman of Black Sabbath, Osbourne also charted top 10s with '13' (No. 1 in 2013) and 'Master of Reality' (No. 8, 1971). The leading title on the list this week comes from Tyler, The Creator, who scores his fourth and consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with 'Don't Tap the Glass.' The set achieves 197,000 units and is the top-selling album of the week with 128,000 sold. Those sales are largely from five physical offerings exclusively sold via the artist's official webstore: a vinyl LP, CD and three deluxe boxed sets. The California-bred rapper has recently made a habit of releasing albums off-cycle. As a result, 'Don't Tap the Glass' was released on a Monday (July 21), giving it only four days of activity in its first tracking week. He previously topped the chart with 'Chromakopia' (2024), 'Call Me If You Get Lost' (2021), and 'Igor' (2019). There were more than a few new top releases on the charts this week, including Jessie Murph's 'Sex Hysteria' and BTS' eighth top 10, 'Permission To Dance On Stage (Live).' Murph scores her first top 10 on the Billboard 200 as 'Sex Hysteria' debuts at No. 8 with 44,000 units earned, powered by 48 million streams across its 15 tracks. It marks her third entry on the Billboard 200, following 'That Ain't No Man That's the Devil' (No. 24 in 2024) and 'Drowning' (No. 162 in 2023). The new album arrives on the heels of two Hot 100 hits: 'Blue Strips' — her highest-charting single to date and first top 20, peaking at No. 15 in May — and 'Touch Me Like a Gangster' (No. 56 in June). The momentum continues as the 22-year-old kicks off her 'Worldwide Hysteria Tour' today in Phoenix, Arizona, with major stops planned across North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Alex Warren's 'You'll Be Alright, Kid' also enters the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for the first time as it lifts from No. 19 to No. 5 after it was expanded with 10 added songs. The set includes Warren's Hot 100 hit, 'Ordinary,' which has spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Closing out the top 10 is BTS with the group's first live album, recorded in 2021 during their tour fo the same name. The set launched with 43,000 equivalent album units earned, with album sales comprising 36,000. The remainder of the top 10 is comprised of previously released sets: Morgan Wallen's 'I'm the Problem' is at No. 2; 'The KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack is at No. 3; Jackboys and Travis Scott's 'Jackboys 2' is at No. 4; Justin Bieber's 'Swag' is at No. 6; and Clipse's 'Let God Sort Em Out' is at No. 9. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ozzy Osbourne Charts His First Posthumous Top 10 Hit In America
Ozzy Osbourne's 'Road to Nowhere' enters the top 10 on Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales ... More chart days after his death at 76, marking his first posthumous hit. A photograph taken on July 23, 2025 shows a memorial plaque left at a makeshift memorial by a mural depicting late British singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, in Birmingham, central England, a day after his death. Tributes poured in on July 23, 2025 for hell-raiser singer Ozzy Osbourne as tearful fans laid flowers in his hometown and his Black Sabbath band mates mourned the death of their legendary heavy metal frontman, just weeks after he played an epic farewell concert in their Birmingham hometown. Osbourne, nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" who famously once bit off the head of a bat while on stage, died on July 22, 2025 at the age of 76, his family said. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22 at the age of 76, just weeks after performing his final show in Birmingham, United Kingdom, the city where he first launched his career. The legend changed the sound of hard rock music forever, introducing heavy metal to the world and becoming a defining character in the history of multiple genres. Fans around the globe are sure to mourn his loss for years to come, but the grief is especially pronounced in the immediate aftermath of shocking news. The impact of his death on the Billboard charts is only just beginning to be felt. "Road to Nowhere" Becomes a Posthumous Hit Osbourne scores a new top 10 hit in the U.S. this week, as "Road to Nowhere," taken from his No More Tears album, debuts at No. 10 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. The late superstar claims his tenth top 10 on that tally and his twelfth overall appearance under his own name. Ozzy Osbourne Fills Multiple Spots on the Chart Osbourne occupies four spaces on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales ranking this frame, as "Mama, I'm Coming Home," 'Crazy Train' and "No More Tears" appear at Nos. 2, 4 and 7, respectively. Those three tracks surged following all the excitement surrounding his final performance, which also marked the last-ever concert for Black Sabbath under its classic lineup, but now they've started to decline – though that downward movement may be temporary. "Crazy Train" Still Climbing Among that batch, "Crazy Train" remains Osbourne's biggest hit in America. While it declines on most of the rosters it appears on, the tune actually rises one spot on the Hot Rock Songs chart. The cut debuted just last week on Billboard's ranking of the most consumed rock tracks in the U.S., and now it lifts slightly to a new peak. A Big Week is Expected for Ozzy Osbourne Osbourne's death occurred toward the end of the most recent tracking period, which ran from Friday, July 18 through Thursday, July 24. A surge in streams and sales of his catalog — as well as Black Sabbath's — should be reflected more fully on Billboard charts published in a few days. This week's top 10 win is a meaningful posthumous achievement, but next frame will likely be even more impressive as the outpouring of support continues to build.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hundreds in Birmingham for Ozzy Osbourne memorial as rock pilgrims hail 'number one'
Hundreds of Ozzy Osbourne fans gathered in Birmingham city centre this afternoon, July 26, to remember the Birmingham superstar and music legend. Heavy metal fans and shocked members of the public have filed into the city to visit murals and memorials since news of the Black Sabbath frontman's death broke on Tuesday night. BirminghamLive spent Saturday afternoon in Victoria Square with gutted fans who travelled from across the country, some for more than three hours, to remember the Prince of Darkness. READ MORE: Oasis' moving Ozzy Osborne tribute plays out at London Wembley Stadium show READ MORE: 'We were kicked out of college for listening to Ozzy Osbourne rehearse next door' Ozzy died on Tuesday, July 22 at 76, just weeks after his final show at Villa Park Stadium - sparking an outpouring of grief among Birmingham's communities and all over the world. Look through our photo story below from the memorial. READ MORE: Crowds gather for Ozzy Osbourne memorial in Birmingham city centre But Brummies will always claim Ozzy as their own, he's part of the city culture and forged a career that gave the world so much more than just heavy metal. Rock pilgrims were out in force on Saturday, communing with flowers, drinks and memories as old friends met and new connections were made. The sun shone as many hugged each other and chants of "Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy Oy Oy Oy" could be heard above the crowds. Joining the many young and old fans clutching a bunch of flowers, Leigh Gittus, from Cannock, said: "It felt important to come, I can't explain why it feels like we've lost a member of the family; even though we've never met him. "It's more the influence they've had on the bands we listened to growing up." Gaz Morgan, who plays in a band called The Dead List with Leigh, added: "It felt like a weight, everyone was in tears. I got the phone call and felt cold, I don't want to get like this over celebrities but this is just different." Gaz, an Aston Villa season ticket holder said their whole group went to the Back to the Beginning show and "cried all the way through." A group of three friends, Joe, Zak and Elisa told us: 'We're gutted its up and down, the last time we were here was for the gig, enjoying the music and now weeks later we're here for the memorial we just can't believe it.' Mike Coyle, from Manchester, said he had worn a Black Sabbath t-shirt every day since hearing the news. "He gave us an identity," said Mike. Friend Johna Curtis added: "The first time I saw Ozzy live was in 1998 when I was 16, I've been a fan ever since, Ozzy created all of this, I just came here to pay respects." You can watch the full interview with Johna and Mike in the video at the top of this article. Also out in solidarity and remembrance were father and son Marc and John James, from Acocks Green. "We've come to pay our respects and lay flowers he was the master of heavy metal, we've just gone and signed the book of condolences. They should build a statue of him" said John. Marc added: 'I was shocked. He always will be number one.' Travelling from Bristol was Fanni Meszaros and husband Ivan Troncoso. Fanni said: "I love Ozzy, it is so emotional that many people came, we live in Bristol but it is an important day. It was heart-breaking I never expected to cry from someone's death like this but I did." Kings Norton brothers Oli and Greg Blackburn spoke of how Ozzy was a "pillar of Birmingham's culture." 'He's a constant and the fact he's gone makes it difficult he transcended metal, it's hitting us. Greg was the catalyst for me' said Oli, 27. Greg, 30, added: 'He was such a very dedicated and passionate man, it was special to witness the Prince of Darkness there for us.' The pair saw Black Sabbath perform in 2013 in Birmingham, as Oli recalled: 'My fondest memory of that gig in 2013 was Ozzy shouting I can't f*****g hear you down the mic, it was wonderful.'
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Ozzy Osbourne's rare form of Parkinson's, explained
Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne died at 76, having been diagnosed with a rare genetic form of Parkinson's disease over two decades ago. While the exact cause of his death was not explicitly stated, he had been living with the condition since 2003 and recently spoke about his inability to walk. Osbourne was affected by a mutation in the PARK 2 gene, a rare recessive form that is the most common cause of early-onset Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is a degenerative neurological disorder that impacts over 1.1 million Americans and is characterised by slow movements, tremors, and balance problems due to the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells. Although Parkinson's itself is not considered fatal, complications such as aspiration pneumonia, caused by muscle weakness affecting swallowing and coughing, account for a significant percentage of deaths among patients.
