Ozzy Osbourne To Be Honoured With Birmingham Lord Mayor’s Award

Birmingham will pay tribute to one of its most influential figures this week, with a private ceremony honouring the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne.

The city’s Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Ken Wood, will posthumously present the Lord Mayor’s Award to the heavy metal pioneer, recognising his monumental contribution to Birmingham’s cultural identity. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, will also present Books of Condolence to the Osbourne family.

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The award will be accepted on December 3rd, which would have been Ozzy’s birthday, a fitting date for a man who shaped not only metal’s trajectory, but the global perception of Birmingham itself. The Lord Mayor’s Award is one of the city’s highest civic honours, reserved for those whose service to Birmingham has been exceptional, few artists embodied that pride as fiercely as Ozzy.

Born and raised in Aston, Ozzy became the unmistakable voice of Black Sabbath, a band that rewired the DNA of heavy music, his solo career only amplified his global reach. Across 56 years, Ozzy sold more than 100 million records, won five Grammys, and became one of only 27 artists ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

His relationship with Birmingham remained at the heart of his mythos, nearly 400,000 visitors have viewed the Working Class Hero exhibit at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery since July, a testament to the city’s enduring love. Earlier this year, Ozzy and the original Black Sabbath lineup received the Freedom of the City of Birmingham ahead of their farewell Back To The Beginning concert.

The Osbourne family

In response to Ozzy receiving the award, the Osbourne family said:

“We are deeply touched to receive this award in honour of Ozzy. He was so loved by the people of Birmingham so it is great to come back and see the impact he has had in his hometown and how he continues to inspire generations of Brummies’ and fans across the world. I would like to thank the Lord Mayor for this special recognition.”

Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE added: “Ozzy was and always will be a proud and much missed son of Birmingham… Ozzy forever!”

While Councillor Ken Wood said: “Ozzy Osbourne was more than a music icon — he was a proud son of Birmingham…”

Ozzy passed away on July 22nd following a heart attack, a private funeral was held on July 31st, with thousands gathering in Birmingham the day before to honour him.