There simply will never be another titan in heavy metal quite as tall as Ozzy Osbourne. As the frontman for the inventors of heavy metal, along with the greatest metal solo project ever, Ozzy put together an untouchable career filled with iconic live performances.
From both Black Sabbath and the Ozzy Osbourne band, here’s 10 of the greatest performances from our dearly departed Prince of Darkness.
Black Sabbath – Live at the Olympia (1970)
Black Sabbath clearly had something special from the very beginning. Ozzy sings his ass off throughout this entire show at the Olympia in Paris, like he’s trying to prove something to all his childhood naysayers. Oz was truly a force in his youth, and Black Sabbath was full of piss and vinegar (and weed and cocaine, probably) in December 1970.
Black Sabbath – California Jam (1974)
You’ve invented a time machine. You can go back to one day in the history of heavy metal. You’re clearly a genius, because you picked Black Sabbath’s set at California Jam 1974. On the festival’s rainbow stage, a bedazzled Sabbath turned a crowd of hippies into hesher metalheads, delivering the sickest grooves in the history of electrified music. Truly iconic.
Black Sabbath – The Legendary Soundboard Tapes (1975)
If you want to hear the best sounding Black Sabbath gig ever captured, put on this 1975 live album recorded in Asbury Park, NJ. Ozzy Osbourne was at his very best as a rock ’n’ roll frontman, famously introducing “Hole in the Sky” by screaming, “Are you high?! So am I!” This was also the tour that Sabbath debuted “Symptom of the Universe” live… just imagine being in that crowd and hearing that riff for the first time.
Ozzy Osbourne – Live at 31 Studios (1981)
One of the greatest performances in heavy metal happened in a random TV station in Rochester, NY. This was the resurrection of Ozzy’s career after his split from Sabbath, and the introduction of a new secret weapon — Randy Rhoads. Despite the lack of a live audience, this performance was filled with infectious energy.
Ozzy Osbourne – Salt Lake City (1984)
Yes, Jake E. Lee was on some secret riff juice in 1984… but how great does Ozzy Osbourne sound at this 1984 gig? Deep into his feral ‘80s persona, Ozzy commanded the stage here like few frontman ever have. He was truly larger than life, his voice brilliantly switching between soaring highs and gruff lows.
Ozzy Osbourne – The Ultimate Ozzy (1986)
Everything about this gig was BIG BIG BIG. The sound of Ozzy’s band was huge, Ozzy’s voice filled the whole arena… even his sparkly jacket and hair were massive. If there’s one Ozzy performance that personifies the decadence and excess of the ‘80s, it’s this video album from The Ultimate Sin tour.
Ozzy Osbourne – Live & Loud (1993)
Recorded throughout several shows from 1991-1992, Live & Loud was a declaration of Ozzy Osbourne’s continued relevance in the grunge era. The ‘80s glamour was stripped away for a more raw and gritty feel, interspersed with footage of fans celebrating their love for the Prince of Darkness. Where many metal bands failed to translate into the ‘90s, Ozzy succeeded seamlessly.
Black Sabbath – Ozzfest 2005
This fucking crowd, man. What a joy to watch this incredible exchange of energy between Ozzy Osbourne and his Ozzfest fans. Performing to a seemingly endless mass of humanity, Black Sabbath’s original lineup proved themselves as timeless one again throughout 2005. This is some untouchable stuff.
Black Sabbath – The End (2017)
It was the end of Black Sabbath… the end of a reunion that spawned a Grammy Award and the band’s first No. 1 album in the U.S. On February 4, 2017, Sabbath graced Birmingham’s Genting Arena for the last time, delivering a perfect setlist of fan favorites capped off by “Paranoid” as an encore. “You are the fucking finest, the best, I love you all. Thank you for coming, thank you for my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Ozzy said to his fans. No Oz, thank you.
Back to the Beginning (2025)
At the greatest metal celebration ever put together, Ozzy Osbourne got to live a fairytale ending with both Black Sabbath and his solo band. Just a few weeks before passing into the ether, Ozzy used 100 percent of his life force to deliver this monumental performance, and at no point was it more touching than when he sang “Mama I’m Coming Home.” It’s okay… have yourself a metal cry.
Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.
