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Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne's Genre:

Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Album Rock, Pop-Metal

Biography

Though many bands have succeeded in earning the hatred of parents and media worldwide throughout the past few decades, arguably only such acts as Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, and Marilyn Manson have tied the controversial record of Ozzy Osbourne. The former Black Sabbath frontman has been highly criticized over his career, mostly due to rumors denouncing him as a psychopath and Satanist. Despite his reputation, no one could deny that Osbourne has had an immeasurable effect on heavy metal. While he doesn't possess a great voice, he makes up for it with his good ear and dramatic flair. As a showman, his instincts are nearly as impeccable; his live shows have been overwrought spectacles of gore and glitz that have endeared him to adolescents around the world. Indeed, Osbourne has managed to establish himself as an international superstar, capable of selling millions of records with each album and packing arenas across the globe, capturing new fans with each record.

John Michael Osbourne began his professional career in the late '60s, when he teamed up with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward to form Black Sabbath. The band, made unique by their slow, gloomy melodies and themes, released their self-titled album in 1970 and went on to release classic platinum records such as Paranoid and Master of Reality throughout the rest of the decade. After the 1978 album Never Say Die, Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath, which led him to form his own solo project. With his new manager and wife, Sharon, Osbourne formed his own band, the Blizzard of Ozz, with guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Bob Daisley, and drummer Lee Kerslake. The group's self-titled first album was released in September 1980 in the U.K. and early 1981 in the U.S. Blizzard of Ozz had some of the same ingredients of Black Sabbath: the lyrics focused on the occult and the guitars were loud and heavy, yet the band was more technically proficient and capable of pulling off variations on standard metal formulas. Featuring the hit singles "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley," Blizzard of Ozz reached number seven on the U.K. charts; it peaked at number 21 in the U.S., continuing to sell for over two years and becoming a huge success. Kerslake and Daisley were replaced with Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo shortly before the subsequent November release of Diary of a Madman. This album, which included the drug ode "Flying High Again," charted at number 16 in the U.S. and became another huge seller. As the Diary tour went underway, sales for the album continued to improve as those of Black Sabbath waned.

Osbourne had no trouble in attaining mass audiences, and his career seemed to have peaked. However, controversy soon erupted when he was accused of animal cruelty: during one performance, a bat was thrown on-stage by a fan and Osbourne bit its head off while supposedly thinking that it was fake. The show was canceled when he had to be rushed to the hospital for a rabies vaccination. Not long afterward, Rhoads was killed in a bizarre plane accident, bringing the band's success to a screeching halt. Osbourne fell into a massive depression shortly after losing his best friend, and plans for his upcoming live album were soon changed. Instead of material recorded with Rhoads, 1982's Speak of the Devil featured live recordings of classic Black Sabbath material and was recorded with guitarist Brad Gillis. Osbourne was freed from his contract with Jet Records and showed up drunk at an Epic Records meeting with two doves, one of which he freed and the other of which he killed in the same manner as the bat; Osbourne was signed to the label. Jake E. Lee became Osbourne's new guitarist for the 1984 studio effort Bark at the Moon. While it didn't match the consistency of Blizzard of Ozz or Diary of a Madman, the record was equally successful, pushing the singer to embark on a tour with glam metal stalwarts Mötley Crüe. Although Bark at the Moon opened up to rave reviews, 1986's Ultimate Sin received rather harsh criticism. The album, although containing the hit single "Shot in the Dark," was regarded as Osbourne's worst studio effort by numerous critics, who claimed it was redundant and uninteresting; nonetheless, the album was another smash hit.

Also in 1986, Osbourne was accused of encouraging suicide among listeners via use of subliminal messages in his Blizzard of Ozz song "Suicide Solution," a song that he claimed was written in relation to the effects of alcohol abuse. Although the case was eventually dismissed, Osbourne once again earned a feared reputation. He pulled up his profile in 1987 with Tribute, a live album recorded in 1981 that was dedicated to the memory of Randy Rhoads. Lee soon left the band and was replaced with Zakk Wylde for No Rest for the Wicked, which would be released in 1988. The record proved to be one of his strongest yet, highlighted by "Miracle Man," in which Osbourne ridiculed evangelist (and longtime foe) Jimmy Swaggart. Just Say Ozzy, a live EP taken from the subsequent tour, was released in 1990. After recording a new studio album in 1991, Osbourne found himself without the usual enthusiasm to perform, due to his increasing age and his desire to spend more time with his family. When No More Tears was released in the fall, it was confirmed that the following tour would be Osbourne's last before retirement. Following the tour, a live double album, Live & Loud, was released in 1993 to commemorate Osbourne's career, and it was now assumed that the singer's glory days were over.

However, the retirement was not to be -- Osbourne resurfaced in 1995 with Ozzmosis, which, despite mixed reviews, sold three million copies within a year after its release. After the subsequent tour proved one of the best-selling of the summer, Osbourne created Ozzfest, a tour package that featured himself along with many other metal bands. While there were only two performances in 1996, a live album was nonetheless released, simply titled The Ozzfest. 1997's tour package included such metal acts as Pantera, Marilyn Manson, and a Black Sabbath reunion from which only Bill Ward was absent. With the exception of Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair, Ozzfest 1997 was the most successful tour of the year, and Osbourne released a compilation album, The Ozzman Cometh, in November. Shortly afterward, Osbourne united the entire original lineup of Black Sabbath to record the live album Reunion, which was released in 1998. He also found time to duet alongside rapper Busta Rhymes for a remake of the Sabbath classic "Iron Man," retitled "This Means War," which was included on Rhymes' 1998 release Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front).

Sabbath continued to tour well into 1999, as they again headlined the year's Ozzfest, which was billed as their supposed final tour. The same year, a grisly Ozzy action figure was shipped out to toy stores -- complete with tiny decapitated bats. Osbourne also finally began work on the follow-up to his lackluster 1995 solo release Ozzmosis, which saw him joined by returning guitarist Wylde, plus former Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin and former Suicidal Tendencies/Infectious Grooves bassist Robert Trujillo. 2001 was greeted with the news that not only was Black Sabbath reuniting once again for the summer's edition of Ozzfest, but that the quartet was going to enter the recording studio in the fall with producer Rick Rubin to work on the original lineup's first all-new album since 1978's Never Say Die. Unfortunately, Epic Records caught word of Osbourne's plans and stopped both a post-Ozzfest tour with Disturbed and the album itself until he finished his solo record. Ozzy fans were given the double-disc Ozzfest: Second Stage Live to tide them over in the meantime -- the collection included tracks from most of the bands that participated in the 2000 festival, as well as tracks from Ozzfest's inaugural 1996 lineup.

Finally, the new solo album Down to Earth appeared in the fall of 2001, followed by a few successful rock radio singles and a huge Christmas tour with co-headliner Rob Zombie. Meanwhile, inspired by an episode of MTV's Cribs starring his family, Osbourne and the network's producers took a chance on creating a reality show based around the infamous singer. Following his family around the house for several months at the end of 2001, the end result was The Osbournes, one of the most successful shows in the history of the network. The show, which was equal parts documentary and sitcom, reinvented Osbourne as a befuddled father with a razor-sharp wit and a loving family. It also proved to also be a critical success, and Osbourne found himself invited to a White House dinner to promote his animal protection activism, something that only came to light after an episode of the show dedicated to the family's numerous pets. A string of compilations followed Down to Earth, including 2005's Under Cover, a collection of cover songs. Ozzy returned to the studio the following year to begin work on a new studio album. The resulting Black Rain arrived in May 2007, followed by his tenth studio album, Scream, in 2010. ~ Barry Weber & Greg Prato

AOL Radio Stations Ozzy Osbourne is Featured on (20)

Classic Metal

Classic Metal on Slacker Radio plays music from the artists that established and helped define Heavy Metal. From '81 to '91, Classic Metal delivers head-banging tunes from ass-kickin' bands like Metallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Megadeath, Black Sabbath and many more.

Party Metal

Party Metal on Slacker Radio is a groupie's dream. If you owned anything spandex, fringe leather, a Trans-Am and 5 different brands of hairspray, then Party Metal is your backstage pass to the glam side of the '80s rock scene. The era lives on with bands like Poison, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. So, throw up your devil horns and let's party!

A Very Metal Halloween

When it comes to Metal holidays, there is none more black than Halloween. Your Slacker Radio DJs have compiled a list of the darkest, most sinister, most METAL Halloween songs and turned it into a radio station. Listen at your own risk.

55 Nuttiest Artists

The music world is littered with colorful characters and since April is the month of "fools", Slacker decided to continue our monthly Signature Series with a look at the 55 Nuttiest Pop Stars Ever. This is not to say that this illustrious group of artists is foolish, of course, as many of them have ridden their eccentricities to unfathomable heights of superstardom. In this countdown hosted by pop-culture savants Rob Tannenbaum and Craig Marks (authors of I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution) you will meet legends and lunatics, all of whom are beloved by millions. Enjoy.

'80s Rock

The '80s was the decade of decadence and music was no exception. From bands like Poison and Cinderella who celebrated excess to U2 and R.E.M., that rebelled against it, '80s Rock on Slacker Radio covers the best rock the ‘80s had to offer.

End of the World

There are some that believe that the world will end on Dec 21st, 2012- based on an interpretation of Mayan numerology. Whether the Earth is consumed by a black hole, a solar flare, or just breaks into pieces, we figure you should go out with a good soundtrack. Doomsday or not, these are the best end-of-the-world songs, all on one station.

Rock Ballads

Rock Ballads on Slacker Radio will take you back to the days of big hair and big love ballads. Raise your lighters in the air, grab the one you love, and find your own “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”. Big Rock Ballads on Slacker Radio features all the best balladeers from the 70’s and 80’s like Journey, Foreigner, and Aerosmith.

Mother's Day

Because Mothers are such and important part of our lives, Slacker has created a special station showcasing songs about Moms. Mother’s Day Radio on Slacker plays a mother-inspired mix of tunes including songs from Aerosmith, Kanye West, Mr. T and more.

Halloween

We cracked open the crypt to bring you the most terrifying tunes this side of the graveyard. You’ll hear creepy classics, freaky film scores and eerie effects to put a chill in your bones.

101 Greatest Classic Rock Songs

This is it. The ultimate list of the 101 most important Classic Rock songs. Period. Our rock curators have chosen the game-changing tunes that altered the course of rock'n roll in the 70's and defined where the genre would go in the decades that followed. As a result, this is not your average countdown. What's more, Slacker has called upon Redbeard, the internationally recognized rock expert and host of the celebrated "In The Studio" series and website (www.inthestudio.net), to provide his unique insights and exclusive interview highlights from the likes of Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, and many more.

Rock

Rock on Slacker Radio is a tribute to all things rock, from AC/DC to Disturbed. You'll hear everything that rocks with no filler and no acoustic guitars.

Party Rock

Party Rock on Slacker has your party tunes covered with classics from AC/DC, Metallica, and The Stones. You'll also hear the latest from the Foo Fighters, Korn and System of a Down to keep your party rocking for hours. Have a few drinks, and party hard. We will rock it for you.

'00s Rock

'00s Rock plays your favorite fist pumping post-grunge and nu-metal. Slacker's '00s Rock goes deeper on the decade that gave you Disturbed, Shinedown, Seether, Godsmack, and more. If your ears are ringing, you're listening to '00s Rock.

'90s Rock

Ten years of Rock. Spanning all things rock in the 90s. From Metal to Grunge, Seattle to NYC, 90's Rock on Slacker has it. The hits by Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and Metallica are all here. Plus deep cuts from Alice In Chains, Faith No More, and Rage Against the Machine. If it rocked in the 90's, it's here on 90's Rock.

Classic Rock

Classic Rock on Slacker takes you back to the golden era of rock music. You will hear classic Rock hits mixed with deeper album cuts from your favorite artists and a few forgotten classics.

Rock Hits

Fitz Madrid is your host for Rock Hits on Slacker Radio. It’s the best of the catalogue from Metallica, System of a Down and Nirvana with a little classic rock for spice. You'll also hear new music from bands like Shinedown, Nickelback, Breaking Benjamin and many more.

Hard Rock

Hard Rock on Slacker Radio is the way Rock is supposed to be...good and hard. You'll hear the best new music from bands like System of a Down, Chevelle, Saliva, Tool, Korn, Shinedown, Metallica, Disturbed as well as deeper album cuts from your favorite Rock bands to give you the full hard rock experience.

Metal

Welcome to Slacker Metal...home to the world's most extreme music. Metal is all about speed, volume, and intensity. Slacker Metal will punish your ears with tunes from today's most innovative bands while paying homage to the true metal gods. Get ready to bang your head, hail!!!

Soft Rock

Soft Rock on Slacker is a true rock station that showcases the lighter, more contemplative side of the biggest names in rock-n-roll. No sappy love ballads or lame pop songs here...just great soft rock from Coldplay, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Snow Patrol, Dave Matthews Band, Train, and more!

Ozzy Osbourne

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Van Halen, Iron Maiden and more.

All Stations

Ozzy Osbourne's Selected Discography (50)

The Ultimate Sin

(P) 1986 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT INC.19959 Songs

Artists Related to Ozzy Osbourne (50)

	Guns N' Roses	At a time when pop was dominated by dance music and pop-metal, Guns N' Roses brought raw, ugly rock & roll crashing back into the charts.
	Mötley Crüe	Mötley Crüe were one of the most influential hair metal bands of the '80s, boasting a striking visual presence and hedonistic reputation rivaled only by Guns N' Roses.
	Metallica	Metallica was easily the best, most influential heavy metal band of the '80s. Responsible for bringing the genre back to Earth, the bandmates looked and talked like they were from the street, shunning the usual rockstar games of metal musicians during the early '80s.
	AC/DC	AC/DC's mammoth power chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the '70s. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early '70s.
	Black Sabbath	Black Sabbath have been so influential in the development of heavy metal rock music as to be a defining force in the style.
	Def Leppard	In many ways, Def Leppard were the definitive hard rock band of the '80s. There were many bands that rocked harder (and were more dangerous) than the Sheffield-based quintet, but few others captured the spirit of the times quite as well.
	Judas Priest	Judas Priest was one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the '70s, spearheading the New Wave of British Heavy Metal late in the decade.
	Scorpions	Known best for their 1984 anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and the 1990 ballad "Wind of Change," German rockers the Scorpions have sold over 22 million records, making them one of the most successful rock bands to ever come out of Continental Europe.
	Van Halen	With their 1978 eponymous debut, Van Halen simultaneously rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general.
	Iron Maiden	Known for such powerful hits as "Two Minutes to Midnight" and "The Trooper," Iron Maiden were and are one of the most influential bands of the heavy metal genre.
	Skid Row	Skid Row were one of the very last hair metal bands to hit the mainstream before grunge took over in the early '90s.
	Poison	In a decade fueled by party anthems and power ballads, Poison enjoyed a great amount of popularity, with only Bon Jovi and Def Leppard outselling them.
	Whitesnake	After recording two solo albums, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed Whitesnake around 1977.
	Twisted Sister	A product of New York City's early-'70s glam rock scene, Twisted Sister were eager students of the New York Dolls, with the theatrics of Kiss and the shock rock of Alice Cooper thrown in for good measure.
	Aerosmith	Aerosmith were one of the most popular hard rock bands of the '70s, setting the style and sound of hard rock and heavy metal for the next two decades with their raunchy, bluesy swagger.
	Dio	For a brief spell during the mid-'80s, the heavy metal quintet Dio were one of the top U.S. concert attractions, boasting one of the most over the top stage acts of its time loaded with props and special effects (lasers, explosions, a giant dragon, etc.
	Kiss	Rooted in the campy theatrics of Alice Cooper and the sleazy hard rock of glam rockers the New York Dolls, Kiss became a favorite of American teenagers in the '70s.
	Quiet Riot	For a very brief moment, Quiet Riot was a rock & roll phenomenon. Famously described as the first heavy metal band to top the pop chart (a claim that greatly depends on one's exact definition of heavy metal), the Los Angeles quartet became an overnight sensation thanks to their monster 1983 smash album Metal Health.
	Ratt	Ratt's brash, melodic heavy metal made the Los Angeles quintet one of the most popular rock acts of the mid-'80s.
	Cinderella	Hard rock band Cinderella gained success in the mid-'80s, turning out a series of million-selling albums and hit singles while placing music videos in heavy rotation on MTV.
	Megadeth	After he left Metallica in 1983, guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine formed the thrash metal quartet Megadeth.
	Alice In Chains	In many ways, Alice in Chains was the definitive heavy metal band of the early '90s. Drawing equally from the heavy riffing of post-Van Halen metal and the gloomy strains of post-punk, the band developed a bleak, nihilistic sound that balanced grinding hard rock with subtly textured acoustic numbers.
	Bon Jovi	After ushering in the era of pop-metal with their 1986 blockbuster Slippery When Wet and its hit singles “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and “Living on a Prayer,” Bon Jovi wound up transcending the big-haired ‘80s, withstanding changes in style and sound to become one of the biggest American rock bands of their time, selling over 120 million albums worldwide, and sustaining their popularity well into the new millennium.
	Godsmack	The Boston-based alternative metal group Godsmack were originally comprised of vocalist Sully Erna (a devout Wiccan), guitarist Tony Rambola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Tommy Stewart.
	Tesla	Although Tesla emerged during the glory days of hair metal, the band's music was equally indebted to contemporary blues and '70s-style hard rock, a fusion that helped differentiate albums like The Great Radio Controversy from its contemporaries.
	Queensrÿche	Although they were initially grouped with the legions of pop-metal bands that dominated the American heavy metal scene of the '80s, Queensrÿche were one of the most distinctive bands of the era.
	Pantera	The preeminent metal band of the early to mid-'90s, Pantera put to rest any and all remnants of the '80s metal scene, almost single-handedly demolishing any notion that hair metal, speed metal, power metal, et al.
	Warrant	With a pair of double-platinum albums and three Top Ten singles, Warrant were one of the most popular pop-metal bands of the late '80s.
	Rob Zombie	The longtime frontman for metal superstars White Zombie, Rob Zombie was born Robert Cummings on January 12, 1966, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, forming the group soon after moving to New York City circa 1985.
	Alice Cooper	Originally, there was a band called Alice Cooper led by a singer named Vincent Damon Furnier. Under his direction, Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical and violent brand of heavy metal that was designed to shock.
	Dokken	At a time when the charts were ruled by pop-metal acts, Dokken was a major attraction throughout the 1980s.
	White Zombie	For metalheads who thought bands like W.A.S.P. and Mötley Crüe just weren't menacing or heavy enough, White Zombie was the perfect antidote for a period of time during the mid- to late '90s, as they fused B-horror movie visuals and subject matter with heavy music and growled vocals.
	Great White	While one infamous nightclub show eclipsed their previous achievements, the hard rock/heavy metal band Great White would much rather you remember their Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance, the over six million records they sold, and their double platinum album .
	Disturbed	Heavy metal band Disturbed came together through the matching of a band with a singer. Longtime friends Dan Donegan (guitar), Mike Wengren (drums), and Fuzz (bass) played together in Chicago for some time before hooking up with singer David Draiman around 1997.
	Korn	Korn's cathartic alternative metal sound positioned the group among the most popular and provocative to emerge during the post-grunge era.
	ZZ Top	This sturdy American blues-rock trio from Texas consists of Billy Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums).
	Queen	Few bands embodied the pure excess of the '70s like Queen. Embracing the exaggerated pomp of prog rock and heavy metal, as well as vaudevillian music hall, the British quartet delved deeply into camp and bombast, creating a huge, mock-operatic sound with layered guitars and overdubbed vocals.
	Motörhead	Motörhead's overwhelmingly loud and fast style of heavy metal was one of the most groundbreaking styles the genre had to offer in the late '70s.
	Slaughter	Former Vinnie Vincent Invasion members Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum formed Slaughter with guitarist Tim Kelly and drummer Blas Elias in 1988 in an attempt to cross over to pop audiences.
	Journey	During their initial 14 years of existence (1973-1987), Journey altered their musical approach and their personnel extensively while becoming a top touring and recording band.
	Soundgarden	Soundgarden made a place for heavy metal in alternative rock. Their fellow Seattle rockers Green River may have spearheaded the grunge sound, but they relied on noise rock in the vein of the Stooges.
	Led Zeppelin	Led Zeppelin was the definitive heavy metal band. It wasn't just their crushingly loud interpretation of the blues -- it was how they incorporated mythology, mysticism, and a variety of other genres (most notably world music and British folk) -- into their sound.
	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Lynyrd Skynyrd was the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious Southern image and a hard rock swagger.
	Rush	Over the course of their decades-spanning career, Canadian power trio Rush emerged as one of hard rock's most highly regarded bands; although typically brushed aside by critics and rarely the recipients of mainstream pop radio airplay, Rush nonetheless won an impressive and devoted fan following, while their virtuoso performance skills solidified their standing as musicians' musicians.
	System of a Down	Like many late-'90s metal bands, System of a Down struck a balance between '80s underground thrash metal and metallic early-'90s alternative rockers like Jane's Addiction.
	Stone Temple Pilots	Stone Temple Pilots were able to turn alternative rock into stadium rock; naturally, they became the most critically despised band of their era.
	Kid Rock	One of the unlikeliest success stories in rock at the turn of the millennium, Detroit rap-rocker Kid Rock shot to superstardom with his fourth full-length album, 1998's Devil Without a Cause.
	Pink Floyd	Pink Floyd is the premier space rock band. Since the mid-'60s, their music relentlessly tinkered with electronics and all manner of special effects to push pop formats to their outer limits.
	Sammy Hagar	After spending several years as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the mid-'70s hard rock band Montrose, Sammy Hagar began a solo career that produced several hits and made him an album rock favorite.
	Nickelback	Few bands did more than Nickelback to establish the force of slick, commercially minded post-grunge in the 2000s.