Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and British rocker Yungblud joined forces at the 2025 MTV VMAs for an emotional salute to the late Ozzy Osbourne.
The 2025 MTV VMAs delivered one of the night’s most heartfelt moments with a special tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away in July at age 76.
The performance brought together rock legend Steven Tyler and British rocker Yungblud for a cross-generational salute to the Prince of Darkness.
The tribute opened with a touching video featuring Ozzy’s son, Jack Osbourne, joined by four of Ozzy’s grandchildren. “I know for sure [this tribute] would make him incredibly happy,” Jack said before the family shouted in unison, “And in the words of our papa, ‘Let’s go crazy!’”
Yungblud hit the stage first, unleashing high-octane energy on “Crazy Train,” channeling Ozzy’s signature grit and wild stage presence. The mood then shifted to something more tender with “Changes,” the only Black Sabbath song of the set. Finally, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler stepped up for a moving performance of “Mama I’m Coming Home.”
At 77, Tyler delivered every lyric with raw emotion, holding back tears as he sang alongside Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, who added a soaring solo. Yungblud rejoined them for the final chorus, creating a generational passing of the torch moment that had the crowd on its feet.
YUNGBLUD and Steven Tyler pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at the #VMAs 🖤 pic.twitter.com/JmmFcfUZdn
— Variety (@Variety) September 8, 2025
The tribute carried extra weight knowing Osbourne’s recent struggles. He had been battling Parkinson’s disease and recovering from multiple spinal surgeries before his passing, which came just weeks after his final performance at Birmingham’s “Back to the Beginning” all-star concert.
Osbourne’s legacy continues to inspire. Aerosmith called him “our brother in rock… a voice that changed music forever” in a statement after his death. Yungblud also shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, recalling the mentorship he received and the personal moment when they exchanged cross necklaces.
Osbourne even appeared in Yungblud’s 2022 “The Funeral” video with wife Sharon, proving his influence extended across generations of rockers.
The VMAs, hosted by LL Cool J, also featured performances by Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll, Tate McRae, and more—but it was the emotional salute to Ozzy that stole the night.
