Ozzy Osbourne was posthumously honoured with Birmingham’s Lord Mayor’s Award on Wednesday (03.12.25).
The award, one of the city’s highest civic recognitions, was presented to members of the Osbourne family on what would have been the late Black Sabbath frontman’s 77th birthday.
In a video message, his daughter, Kelly Osbourne, 41, said: “I just want to take a second to thank the people of Birmingham for not only showing my family so much love, but for showing up for my father in a way that made him the happiest man on the planet.”
She added that the honour was “beyond our wildest dreams”.
Kelly concluded: “The one thing that my father was most proud of is that he was a Brummie, and Birmingham has done him proud.”
Birmingham’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Zafar Iqbal, shared: “Today, the Deputy Lord Mayor and I was honoured to meet with the Osbourne family and posthumously present Ozzy Osbourne’s Lord Mayor’s Award and the Book of Condolences following his passing.
“An iconic and much missed son of Birmingham, the city he loved so much [black heart emoji] Ozzy forever.”
The family, including his widow Sharon Osbourne, also received a Book of Condolence signed by fans.
The award acknowledges Ozzy’s contribution to Birmingham’s cultural and musical identity.
Born in Aston, he rose to international fame as the frontman of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath in the ’70s, before launching a successful solo career. With a career spanning more than five decades, the Paranoid rocker sold more than 100 million records, won five Grammy Awards, and became one of only 27 artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
Ozzy’s ties to Birmingham remained strong. His Working Class Hero exhibition at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has drawn nearly 400,000 visitors since opening in July. Earlier this year, he and his Black Sabbath bandmates were granted the Freedom of the City ahead of their farewell Back To The Beginning concert.
The Osbourne family said in a statement: “We are deeply touched to receive this award in honour of Ozzy. He was so loved by the people of Birmingham and it is great to see the impact he has had in his hometown.”
Iqbal described Osbourne as “a proud and much-missed son of Birmingham”.
Deputy Lord Mayor Ken Wood added: “Ozzy Osbourne was more than a music icon — he was a proud son of Birmingham whose influence reached every corner of the globe.”
Osbourne died in July, aged 76, after years of ill health, including a well-documented battle with Parkinson’s disease.
