Birmingham Honours Ozzy Osbourne with New Tribute Wall and Posthumous Civic Award

Birmingham is continuing to celebrate the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne, unveiling a heartfelt tribute wall and preparing a special civic ceremony in his honor on what would have been his seventy seventh birthday.

The new tribute wall was revealed at the "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" exhibition inside the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on December 3. The installation features seventy seven fan messages, chosen symbolically to match his seventy seventh birthday, selected from more than fifty thousand tributes left across the city after his passing on July 22. Additional messages were taken from a book of condolences hosted by the museum earlier in the summer, which has now been formally presented to Sharon, Kelly, and Louis Osbourne.

One tribute displayed on the wall reads: “Ozzy, you are the background music to my life. I’ll see you on the other side with my beloved husband.”

The memorial wall forms part of the free 'Working Class Hero' exhibit, which opened on June 25 and has already attracted nearly four hundred thousand visitors. The exhibition celebrates Ozzy’s artistic journey, displaying awards, rare artifacts, and archival material spanning his time in 'Black Sabbath' and his influential solo career. Guests can also watch a short film featuring fan tributes and footage from the emotional memorial procession that filled the streets of Birmingham on July 30.

Birmingham prepares a new posthumous honor

Alongside the museum tribute, Birmingham City Council is preparing an intimate ceremony where the Lord Mayor’s Award, one of the city’s highest civic recognitions, will be presented posthumously to Ozzy’s family. The honor acknowledges individuals who have made extraordinary cultural or social contributions to Birmingham and its community.

The award will be accepted by the Osbourne family on December 3. A spokesperson for the family said: “We are deeply moved to receive this award in Ozzy’s name. He was so loved by the people of Birmingham, and it is wonderful to see the lasting impact he continues to have on his hometown. We want to thank the Lord Mayor for this very special recognition.”

The Lord Mayor, councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, also shared his tribute to the iconic frontman: “Ozzy was and will always be a proud and much missed son of Birmingham. Even after achieving worldwide fame, he never forgot his Brummie roots. It is an honor to present this award to his family as a fitting tribute to everything he did for our city. Ozzy forever.”

A legacy deeply rooted in Birmingham

This ceremony is not the first time Birmingham has celebrated Ozzy’s influence. Earlier this year, all four founding members of 'Black Sabbath' - Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward - were granted the prestigious Freedom of the City, honouring their groundbreaking contribution to music and their role in shaping Birmingham’s cultural identity.

Born in Aston, Ozzy rose from working class beginnings to become one of the most influential voices in rock history, both as the frontman of 'Black Sabbath' and as a trailblazing solo artist. He passed away at the age of seventy six, just seventeen days after 'Black Sabbath' performed their emotional homecoming farewell show at Villa Park.

The continuing tributes make clear that Ozzy’s legacy is woven into the spirit of Birmingham, and the city remains determined to celebrate the man who helped define heavy metal and inspired generations of musicians and fans around the world.