Jack Osbourne has found himself at the center of a storm of grief and controversy following the death of his father, legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76 in England. As tributes poured in from across the music world, Jack’s emotional recollections and a public spat with Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters have kept Ozzy’s memory – and the fierce loyalty of his family – in the spotlight.
In a heartfelt YouTube video posted on September 3, Jack Osbourne, 39, opened up about the devastating moment he learned of his father’s passing. “I woke up in Los Angeles to a knock on my door at around 3:45 in the morning,” he explained. “Someone who has worked for my family for a good 30 years now was knocking on my door and when I looked through my window and saw it was him, I just knew. I knew something bad had happened.” The confirmation came swiftly: “I was informed that my father had passed.”
The pain of being over 5,000 miles away from his father’s side in such a crucial moment weighed heavily on Jack. He described a whirlwind of emotions – sadness, frustration, anger, and a desperate urge to be with his family in England. “So many thoughts,” he recalled. “You go through this feeling sad and frustrated and angry. There’s part of you that’s like, ‘I have to get there right now.’”
Ozzy Osbourne had battled Parkinson’s disease for years, and while his health had been a concern for some time, the timing of his death still came as a shock. Jack admitted there was “a level of like, ‘OK, he’s not suffering anymore. He’s not struggling. That is something. I wish he was still here. I wish he was still with us all but he was having a rough go.’” Despite fans taking note of Ozzy’s declining health at his farewell concert on July 5, Jack emphasized that the family hadn’t anticipated saying goodbye so soon. “No one expected it to happen as quickly as it did and when it did,” he said. “It was nowhere on our radar.”
Just two weeks before Ozzy’s death, Jack’s sister Kelly Osbourne had publicly dismissed speculation that their father was close to dying, underscoring how sudden his passing felt to those closest to him. Now, as the family works through the unexpected loss, Jack has found solace in the outpouring of love from fans and peers. “As overwhelming as it can be with the outpour of love and people reaching out, it’s also been really validating,” he shared. “My dad was a special guy, and he meant a lot to a lot of people.”
The music world responded in kind, with tributes flooding social media and news outlets. Metallica posted a throwback photo of Ozzy, captioned simply with a broken heart emoji. Elton John wrote on Instagram, “He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”
The sense of loss was echoed by Questlove, who declared, “Love Live The Oz. Rest In Melody,” and by Jason Momoa, who posted, “Love you @ozzyosbourne All my aloha @sharonosbourne and ohana. So grateful. RIP.” Flavor Flav shared his heartbreak, writing, “Man,,, real heart broken over the passing of OZZY OSBOURNE. We go way back and it was a real honor to watch him get inducted into the @rockhall last year. Sending my love and prayers to Sharon and his kids and whole family. RIP.”
Bret Michaels described Ozzy as “one of the greatest rock legends to ever live,” dedicating upcoming shows to his memory and sending condolences to the Osbourne family. Ice T succinctly mourned, “RIP Ozzy. Right after the recent huge Black Sabbath final concert. Sad.. In my opinion the Creators of Heavy Metal.” Director Paul Feig remembered Ozzy as “a sweet guy and so up for having fun with his image,” while Smashing Pumpkins posted a video tribute. Mike McCready of Pearl Jam reminisced about discovering Black Sabbath in high school, noting, “It was Ozzy’s voice that took me away to a dark universe. A great escape. Then when The ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ record came out I was instantly a fan. Thanks for the music, Ozzy it makes our journey in life better.”
Even Hollywood weighed in. Adam Sandler, Ozzy’s co-star in Little Nicky, reflected, “Nobody was more badass to crank up on our speakers than the one and only prince of darkness – Ozzy Osborne! Loved him a lot like we all did!” Josh Brolin wrote, “What a talent and what an impact on me, and so many others that found in him a thriving misfit with the voice of the grimy blood in our darkest vein. He was circus and theatre and love and loyalty and the everyman’s talent.” Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones added, “I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”
Yet, amid the chorus of admiration, one voice struck a jarring note. In an interview with The Independent Ink published in early September, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, 81, dismissed both Black Sabbath’s music and Ozzy’s legacy. “Ozzy Osbourne, who just died, bless him in his whatever state that he was in his whole life,” Waters remarked. “We’ll never know. The music, I have no idea. I don’t care about Black Sabbath, I never did. Have no interest in biting the heads of chickens or whatever they do. I couldn’t care less, you know.” Waters’ comments referenced Ozzy’s infamous bat-biting incident and made little secret of his disdain.
Jack Osbourne wasted no time firing back, taking to Instagram with a scathing response. “Hey Roger Waters… How pathetic and out of touch you’ve become. The only way you seem to get attention these days is by vomiting out … in the press,” Jack wrote, lacing his post with expletives. He added that his father had “always” disliked Waters and that he was glad the Pink Floyd artist was “proving him right.”
The spat highlighted the sharp contrast between the genuine grief and admiration expressed by much of the music community and Waters’ dismissive tone. It also underscored the protective loyalty the Osbourne family feels for their patriarch’s legacy. For fans and fellow musicians alike, Ozzy Osbourne’s impact is undeniable – a pioneer who helped shape the sound and spirit of heavy metal, and a cultural icon whose influence will long outlive any controversy.
As the tributes continue and the Osbourne family navigates their loss, the world is reminded that behind the legend was a family and a man who mattered deeply to those who knew and loved him. The music, the memories, and the legacy of Ozzy Osbourne remain – a testament to a life lived at full volume.