Rock In Peace Ozzy Osbourne – Ultimate Playlist included

Shane | 23 July 2025 | Reply

Rock In Peace Ozzy Osbourne, gone today, but forever alive in our hearts

There’s been a million tributes already and I can’t say any more than the people who knew him, but I will say this: his music – those first six Black Sabbath albums, and his first three and sixth solo albums especially – changed music, changed the world, and changed my life.

I first ‘discovered’ Ozzy when I found the first two Black Sabbath albums in my then-Uncle’s record collection (alongside Led Zeppelin II and Deep Purple’s Machine Head) and they blew my mind open. I was a fan from that moment on – aged maybe 10 in 1976 – and have never wavered, even through the average albums.

In high school I heard his first solo albums and again my mind exploded. Has anyone else managed to work with so many amazing guitarists? Tony Iommi, Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde just for starters. And bass playing lyricists to put words to his ideas and vocal melodies, starting with Geezer Butler and Bob Daisley. All of the musicians who worked with him were amazing.

As a solo artist Team Ozzy gave many bands their big break – start with Motley Crue and Metallica if you don’t believe me, and that’s before you get to Ozzfest!

And then there are his legendary exploits. A Bacchanalian of epic proportions, Ozzy never stopped never stopping – booze, drugs, and rock n’ roll mayhem was his default setting for many, many years – snorting ants, pissing on The Alamo wearing Sharon’s dress, biting the heads off two doves over his record label’s conference table – and a bat at a concert, dressing as a werewolf for a music video or as an ironing housewife for Kerrang! magazine, appearing as an evangelist in the rock n’ roll horror film Trick Or Treat, all whilst fostering a prodigious drug habit, not to mention appearing in the comical series The Osbournes, despite that bringing a backlash for his stumbling and bumbling.

In more recent years he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, survived a near death quad bike accident, and consolidated his enormous legacy, culminating in the wonderful Back To The Beginning concert just 2 1/2 weeks before his death.

In honour of Ozzy, I have assembled this Ultimate Ozzy playlist. Enjoy the music, all hail the legend.