Yesterday (July 22, 2025), it was announced that Ozzy Osbourne – the Prince of Darkness, who had helped forge the very sound of heavy metal – had passed away at the age of 76.
The news came mere weeks after the Black Sabbath singer had reunited with his old bandmates – and made his highly anticipated return to the stage – for the Back to the Beginning farewell show.
For his final send-off, it was fitting that Ozzy would line up alongside both Tony Iommi, the player with whom he revolutionized heavy music, and Zakk Wylde, who ended up becoming his longest-serving six-string sidemen.
But between those two players, Ozzy partnered with a long line of guitar players, collaborating with big-name artists and lesser-known talents over the course of his prolific career. Indeed, his impeccable taste in guitarists is almost as legendary as the man himself, with Ozzy turning aspiring artists into household names, and giving big breaks to those who have since become heroes in their own right.
From the virtuosic Randy Rhoads, who helped shaped Ozzy’s early post-Sabbath days, to the likes of Brad Gillis, who served small-yet-crucial roles in the larger Osbourne ecosystem, the Prince of Darkness’s list of collaborators isn’t short of top tier players.
Below, you can find the guitarists who wrote and played on Ozzy’s classic albums and took part in his legendary tours.
Rhoads set the bar unenviable high for future Ozzy guitarists, with the former Quiet Riot virtuoso showcasing his generational chops – which lead to some fan-perceived rivalry with Eddie Van Halen – on Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981).
He tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 25.
The above photo was taken on January 24, 1982, during. show at Rosemont Horizon.
(Image credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images)