MTV announced on Friday, Sept. 5, that the 2025 Video Music Awards will include a special tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, who died on July 22 at age 76. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Yungblud (Dominic Harrison), and Nuno Bettencourt will perform at the awards show and honor the “metal luminary” with a medley of his greatest hits.
“I have to do this,” Yungblud explained to his fans on his Instagram Channel. He has to postpone a two shows on his tour (in Washington, D.C. and Cleveland) to be present for the VMAs.
“You know how much of a hero he is for me and the reason why a lot of us have been introduced to each other. I have to honor him, and I hope you guys understand.”
Harrison performed “Changes” at Osbourne’s final show just before kicking off the American leg of his tour.
MTV praised the Black Sabbath frontman’s legacy in their statement: “From Black Sabbath to his solo work, Ozzy redefined what it meant to be heavy. He did it all with heart, grit, and that wild spirit only he could bring. Our love goes out to Sharon, his family, his band, and the millions around the world who felt his fire.”
When and how did Ozzy die?
The legendary frontman of Black Sabbath and solo rock icon died on July 22, 2025. He was 76. His official cause of death was “Out of hospital cardiac arrest; Acute myocardial infarction; Coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction (Joint Causes).”
The tribute performer’s connection to Ozzy
- Steven Tyler and Joe Perry: Aerosmith rose to fame alongside Osbourne in the 1970s. They have shared many a festival and tour stage—most recently, Tyler appeared at Osbourne’s farewell concert “Back to the Beginning.”
- Yungblud: The Idols rocker was heavily influenced by Osbourne growing up and continues to honor him nightly on tour, singing “Changes;” Ozzy had a cameo in Yungblud’s music video for “The Funeral.”
- Nuno Bettencourt: The guitar virtuoso of Extreme, his technical skill and flair earned him an invite to become Osbourne’s guitarist in 1994 (he stuck with Extreme but the two remained close professionally).
When are the 2025 VMAs?
Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. The show usually starts at 8 p.m. ET.
How to watch the 2025 MTV VMAs
The show airs live on MTV. It’ll also be available to stream on MTV.com and the MTV app. If you’re a Paramount+ subscriber, you can watch the VMAs there, too.
