The late Ozzy Osbourne was honored with a rock tribute at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, featuring performances by Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, punk-rock artist Yungblud and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt.
A video montage introduced the segment, with Osbourne’s son Jack and his four daughters — all wearing shirts bearing his name — offering memories of the singer and introducing the live portion of the tribute. Yungblud opened the performance by imitating Osbourne’s signature “All aboard” call before delivering renditions of Black Sabbath’s “Changes” and Osbourne solo hit “Crazy Train.” He was later joined onstage by Tyler and Perry for “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” drawing sustained applause from the audience.
The segment included contributions from musicians who had cited Osbourne as an influence. Nuno Bettencourt, who performed in the tribute, told reporters that being part of the night was deeply meaningful, saying Osbourne had been a “godfather” for generations of rock and metal guitarists. Yungblud walked the red carpet wearing a cross necklace that, he said, had been gifted to him by Osbourne before the singer’s death.
Osbourne, the former Black Sabbath frontman and solo artist, died July 22 at age 76. His death was confirmed by his family in a statement saying he was “with his family and surrounded by love.” He performed his final concert earlier that month at Black Sabbath’s farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.
Musicians and attendees on the VMAs red carpet reflected on Osbourne’s impact. Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless said Osbourne and Black Sabbath had been central to her musical identity even though she had not met him personally, adding that she felt close to his family. Tom Morello, who served as musical director for Osbourne’s final show, said afterward that the performance felt like a known farewell and marveled that Osbourne “lived to play and feel that love” one last time.
Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, had moved to Buckinghamshire, England, in 2023. Sources told media outlets that he spent his final days in England surrounded by family and music. Nearly a week after his death, the family held a funeral procession in Birmingham that incorporated symbolic touches referencing Osbourne’s life and career: Sharon appeared to wear one of his wedding rings on a chain, Aimee Osbourne wore a bat brooch recalling the 1982 incident in which he bit a bat’s head during a show, Kelly Osbourne wore circular blue-tinted glasses similar to her father’s, and Jack Osbourne wore a Chrome Hearts tie with a cross embellishment.
Bettencourt described the night as a chance to honor a figure who shaped rock culture across several decades, praising both Osbourne’s work with Black Sabbath and his solo career. The VMAs tribute joined other remembrances from across the music community and continued a public mourning that has included performances, interviews and tributes reflecting Osbourne’s influence on multiple generations of artists.
The tribute at the VMAs marked one of several high-profile acknowledgments of Osbourne’s legacy this year, as artists and fans have commemorated his role in shaping heavy metal and popular culture. Performers at Sunday’s ceremony combined songs from Osbourne’s Black Sabbath era with his solo catalog, underscoring the breadth of his career and the continuing resonance of his work.