CREED’s Scott Stapp Pays Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne: “He Meant the World to Rock and Roll and Metal”

Creed frontman Scott Stapp has shared heartfelt words in memory of the late Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on July 22 at the age of 76. Speaking on The Scuba Steve Show, Stapp reflected on the Black Sabbath icon’s influence:

“He meant the world to rock and roll and metal. Creed definitely has huge metal influences, especially from Mark’s side. But we all got into Ozzy when we were young—Black Sabbath, his solo work, all of it. His songs not only rocked, but his ballads touched our hearts. His charisma, his personality, and who he was as a father… he was just a major influence. And Sharon has always been a big supporter of Creed since the late ’90s. We love that family, and our prayers are with them during this difficult time.”

Stapp also noted that guitarist Mark Tremonti once named Black Sabbath’s 1970 self-titled debut among his top five essential guitar albums, calling it “the sound of heavy” and crediting Tony Iommi’s riffs as groundbreaking for all of metal.

Ozzy’s death certificate cited a heart attack as the cause, with coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease also listed. A private funeral was held on July 31 at the Osbourne family’s Buckinghamshire estate, with 110 close friends and family in attendance—including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo, Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson, and Corey Taylor.

The day prior, thousands gathered in Birmingham for a public tribute, where Sharon, Aimée, Kelly, and Jack Osbourne joined fans in honoring the Prince of Darkness.

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