Birmingham Bids Farewell to Ozzy Osbourne, the City’s Metal Icon

The city where heavy metal was born stood still today as Birmingham honoured one of its most legendary sons—Ozzy Osbourne.

Thousands of fans gathered on Broad Street to pay tribute as Ozzy’s hearse made its way through his hometown. The procession passed by the iconic Black Sabbath Bridge bench, a permanent tribute to the band that put Birmingham—and metal—on the map back in 1968.

Cries of “Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy! Oi! Oi! Oi!” rang through the streets as six vehicles carrying the Osbourne family followed closely behind. Sharon, Jack, and Kelly Osbourne stepped out briefly to lay flowers and take in the sea of tributes left by fans. Sharon, Ozzy’s wife of 43 years, appeared visibly emotional as the city paused to remember the Prince of Darkness.

“Ozzy was more than a music legend—he was a son of Birmingham,” said city councillor Zafar Iqbal, echoing the sentiments of so many gathered there. For fans like Evie Mayo, it was deeply personal: “Now that he’s not here anymore, you can feel the impact of it. He inspired a lot of people.”

Osbourne, who died last week at age 76, never forgot where he came from. Born and raised in Birmingham, he and his Black Sabbath bandmates—Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler—turned factory-floor grit into global rock stardom. Their debut album in 1970 helped define heavy metal, and the band went on to sell over 75 million albums worldwide. Just last year, the band was awarded the Freedom of the City for their cultural impact.

Even in his later years, battling Parkinson’s disease, Ozzy never lost his edge—or his accent. From his legendary stage antics to his unexpected reality TV fame with The Osbournes, Ozzy’s influence spanned generations.

Birmingham may have given birth to heavy metal, but Ozzy Osbourne gave it a face, a voice, and a legacy that will live on forever.

Rest easy, Ozzy. The city of metal will always remember you.