The rock world is divided over the emotional tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, with The Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins emerging as a vocal critic amid widespread praise. Hawkins unleashed a scathing social media rant calling the performance “another nail in the coffin of rock n’ roll,” accusing participants like Yungblud, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry of exploiting Osbourne’s legacy for personal gain. The backlash, posted on Instagram with comments disabled, has sparked debate about authenticity in tributes to the Prince of Darkness, who passed away on July 22 at age 76 from a heart attack.
The VMAs tribute, held on September 7 at New York’s UBS Arena, featured a star-studded medley of Osbourne classics: “Crazy Train,” Black Sabbath’s “Changes,” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Yungblud led the charge with a shirtless, high-energy rendition of “Crazy Train,” backed by Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt on guitar and longtime Osbourne collaborator Adam Wakeman on keys. The performance transitioned into Yungblud’s poignant cover of “Changes”—a song he vowed to play at every show for the rest of his life in Osbourne’s honor—before Aerosmith’s Tyler and Perry joined for the soaring ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Introduced by a heartfelt video from Osbourne’s son Jack and grandchildren, the segment ended with the performers shouting “Ozzy forever!” as pyro exploded and archival footage played.
Yungblud, who shared a close bond with Osbourne, wore a gold cross necklace gifted to him by the icon during the July 5 “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert in Birmingham—just weeks before Osbourne’s death. He also donned leather pants once owned by Iggy Pop and a custom coat by his partner, Jesse Jo Stark, arriving on the red carpet with the cross prominently displayed. Ahead of the show, Yungblud posted a black-and-white photo of himself with Osbourne from the Birmingham event, captioning it: “They’ve asked me to pay tribute to you at the @vmas on Sunday night. I’ll try my best to do you proud Oz. Tune in from up there. I love you forever.” Tyler, 77, delivered raspy vocals despite his vocal cord injury that led to Aerosmith’s touring retirement in 2024, marking a rare post-retirement appearance.970e28 Heavy metal radio host Eddie Trunk praised the no-lip-sync effort, calling it a “highlight” that honored Osbourne’s raw spirit.
But Hawkins, the younger brother of The Darkness frontman Justin, saw it differently. In an Instagram clip capturing the performance and pop star Ariana Grande’s stunned audience reaction, he wrote: “Another nail in the coffin of rock n roll. Cynical, nauseating and more importantly; shit.” He escalated further: “Makes me sick how people jump on this shit to further their own careers,” captioning the post “What a bunch of bellends.” The post, which has since gone viral, drew mixed responses—some fans echoed Hawkins’ cynicism, suggesting the VMAs exploited Osbourne’s recent passing for ratings, while others defended the performers’ sincerity, noting their prior connections to the metal legend.
Hawkins’ critique isn’t isolated; some online commentators have questioned the timing and spectacle of the tribute, especially given Osbourne’s health battles with Parkinson’s and the emotional weight of his final Birmingham show. Yungblud, however, has been vocal about his genuine admiration, having featured Osbourne and wife Sharon in his 2022 “The Funeral” video and performing at the farewell concert where Osbourne, seated on a throne, reunited with Black Sabbath originals Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.9210dc Bettencourt, hailed as the night’s MVP for his supergroup contributions, shared final memories of Osbourne ahead of the VMAs, calling the collaboration a “dream come true.”
Osbourne’s death, just 17 days after that triumphant Birmingham gig, sent shockwaves through the music community. Tributes poured in from Metallica, The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, and UB40’s Ali Campbell, celebrating the heavy metal pioneer’s influence.fc0946 His legacy—spanning Black Sabbath’s genre-defining albums, solo hits like “Crazy Train,” and MTV’s “The Osbournes”—continues to resonate, even as debates like Hawkins’ highlight the tensions in honoring icons posthumously.
As the VMAs dust settles, one thing’s clear: Osbourne’s “crazy train” rolls on, dividing opinions but uniting rock in his eternal shadow.
