Ozzy Osbourne's Final Bow Is Biggest Charity Concert Ever

UPDATE Jul 16, 2025 12:30 AM CDT

Ozzy Osbourne's final show appears to also be the largest-ever charity concert. Tom Morello, the musical director for "Back to the Beginning," said on Instagram the event had raised more than $190 million for charity. Billboard notes Morello had previously listed a figure of $140 million, and the number cannot be independently verified so close to the event, but if it holds true, it's far and away the highest-grossing benefit concert of all time. LiveAid raised about $100 million for famine relief in 1985, and some other charity shows including FireAid and FarmAid have raised about that much or close to it. Funds from the metal show will be distributed equally between Birmingham Children's Hospital, Acorn Children's Hospice, and Cure Parkinson's.

Jul 6, 2025 7:00 AM CDT

Hard-rock royalty and some 40,000 fans gathered for an ear-splitting tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at what the heavy metal icon says was his last-ever live performance. The original lineup of Osbourne's band Black Sabbath performed at Villa Park soccer stadium in their home city of Birmingham, central England, on Saturday. "Let the madness begin!" Osbourne urged. The 76-year-old singer, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, sang from a black throne that rose up from under the stage and "from which he does not stir," reports the Guardian, which continues: "During 'Coming Home,' his struggle with pitch is both painful and moving: he seems on the brink of tears as the crowd carry him home, but brings everything back with a triumphant 'Crazy Train.'"

"I don't know what to say, man, I've been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel—thank you from the bottom of my heart," Osbourne said, per the AP. "You're all … special. Let's go crazy, come on." Osbourne performed several songs solo before being joined onstage, for the first time in 20 years, by Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Terence "Geezer" Butler, and Bill Ward. The band ended a short set with "Paranoid," one of its most famous songs. Osbourne formed Black Sabbath in 1968 in Birmingham, a city then known for its heavy industry that became the crucible of the British metal scene.

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The show capped a day-long metal festival that included performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica, and Guns N'Roses. The New York Times notes each act performed at least one Sabbath or Osbourne cover song. Artists who sent plaudits and well-wishes included Jack Black, Dolly Parton, and Elton John. "You are one of the most remarkable singers of our time," John said. "You are the king, you are the legend." Per the Times, gratitude was the night's unofficial theme. "I've got to tell you how beautiful this is, because no matter what kind of madness and division is going on outside these walls, in here, it's really simple," Alice in Chains singer William DuVall said to the crowd. "We're all just a bunch of headbanging, riff-loving freaks." (The event was a benefit raising money for multiple charities.)