Entertainer John Michael Osbourne (1948–2025), better known as Ozzy Osbourne, was born into a working-class family on this day in Birmingham, England. The future “Prince of Darkness” grew up in a small row house, sharing tight quarters and a restless imagination.

Reflecting on his early years of rough living, he said, “I lost weeks at a time. I got drunk for the first time at 14 and for the next 29 years I was hardly ever sober.” That unfiltered honesty later helped others feel less alone in their own struggles.

As frontman for the groundbreaking heavy metal band Black Sabbath, Ozzy helped shape a new sound in the 1970s. Their first album in 1970 led to international fame, followed by decades of stories: tattoos and chaos, with the infamous bat and dove moments that turned into legend.

“If I had to start it all over again, the only thing I would change is I’d learn to read a contract better,” he joked. With support from his wife and manager Sharon, Ozzy eventually worked toward stability, releasing successful solo albums and creating the Ozzfest rock festivals.

He often spoke bluntly about his complicated relationship with sobriety. “I don’t think I’ll ever be 100% sober,” he said. “I can’t stand A.A.” His imperfections — named out loud — became part of his strange charm, inviting fans to embrace their own humanity.

In 2001, MTV premiered The Osbournes, a reality television series that opened the door to life inside the Osbourne home. Viewers found themselves watching a family that stumbled, argued, and somehow held on to each other through it all.

“What is a functional family?” he asked. “I know I’m dysfunctional by a long shot, but what guidelines do we all have to go by? The Waltons?” Beneath the theatrics lived a man who loved his family deeply and questioned himself more than he admitted; his raw honesty stayed with people long after the episode ended.