MTV’s 2025 Video Music Awards (VMAs) paid special tribute to the late heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne.
During Sunday night’s ceremony, which honored the best in the music video medium, Osbourne’s youngest son, Jack, along with several of his young grandchildren, appeared in a pre-recorded video to introduce a brief video of clips of the music icon.
British singer-songwriter Yungblud then took the stage alongside Aerosmith bandmates Joe Perry and Steven Tyler and Portuguese-American guitarist Nuno Bettencourt to perform a compilation of Osbourne’s greatest hits.
Yungblud kicked off the performance with the former Black Sabbath singer’s “Crazy Train” and “Changes” before Tyler stepped in with a rendition of “Mama, I’m Coming Home.”
They concluded their tribute, shouting: “Ozzy Osbourne forever!”
Speaking to E! News on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, Yungblud revealed that he was still wearing Osbourne’s cross necklace, which the rocker gave to him while he was still alive.
“To get to know a hero of yours and then he passes away, right as you kind of start to really get to know each other as humans, was really hard,” the “Zombie” musician said.
Osbourne, remembered fondly by fans as the Prince of Darkness, died this past summer, shortly after performing his final concert at Birmingham’s Villa Park in the U.K.
The “Crazy Train” singer died from a heart attack and had also suffered from coronary disease and Parkinson’s.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love,” wrote his wife Sharon Osbourne and four of his five children in a joint Instagram statement at the time.
“We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”
Alongside the caption, they included a photo of Osbourne — who had Parkinson’s disease — sitting in a black-winged throne during his final performance at the Back to the Beginning charity event hosted by Black Sabbath. The proceeds from the 10-hour concert were donated to Acorns Children’s Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Cure Parkinson’s.
Aerosmith also issued a joint statement at the time of his passing, saying: “We’re heartbroken to hear about the passing of our brother in rock, Ozzy Osbourne. A voice that changed music forever. From Black Sabbath to his solo work, Ozzy redefined what it meant to be heavy. He did it all with heart, grit, and that wild spirit only he could bring.
“Rock on, Ozzy. You will be missed, but never forgotten!”
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