{"id":814,"date":"2026-03-04T22:29:05","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T22:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/?p=814"},"modified":"2026-03-05T20:16:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:16:08","slug":"ozzfest-is-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/03\/04\/ozzfest-is-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Ozzfest Is Back!!"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The official announcement posted to Ozzfest channels launching the event's comeback<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u00a0<\/p>

And so it\u2019s been confirmed\u2026 After a very on the nose post from the official Ozzfest account and a statement from the late singer\u2019s wife, Sharon, earlier in February, I think it\u2019s pretty safe to say that the festival will be making a comeback in 2027.<\/p>

When asked if Ozzfest will be returning at The Global Meeting for Music Industry Leaders in Cannes, France, Sharon responded:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u201cYes, absolutely. We\u2019re gonna do it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Super exciting news!! But Ozzfest returning isn\u2019t just a nostalgia headline. It\u2019s also food for thought on how infrastructure shapes music scenes. And more positively, how legacy can function as continuation rather than closure.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\"\"When it first launched in 1996, the cultural climate wasn\u2019t exactly hospitable to heavy metal in its more extreme forms. The mid-90s mainstream still leaned towards post-grunge radio rock, while genuinely abrasive or theatrically transgressive bands were often marginalised. Enter Ozzy Osbourne and, crucially, Sharon Osbourne.<\/p>

I think the origin story matters here. When Ozzy was reportedly blocked from certain major festival bills, Sharon didn\u2019t accept exclusion; she built an alternative. Ozzfest wasn\u2019t just reactive, it was strategic. If the existing structures wouldn\u2019t accommodate metal\u2019s more excessive edges, they\u2019d construct their own.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

While the main stage carried recognisable names \u2014 Iron Maiden, System Of A Down, Metallica and Judas Priest to name a few \u2014 the second stage became the site of cultural incubation. Before streaming metrics, viral sound clips and algorithmic \u201cfor you\u201d pages, exposure meant physical presence. A huge part of this for bands meant playing to a crowd that might not know them yet.<\/p>

Ozzfest provided bands which were smaller at the time with scale\u2026 weeks on the road, thousands of attendees a day, sub headlining for well established acts, and the credibility that comes with institutional affiliation. It\u2019s difficult to overstate how important that was in the late 90s and early 2000s. A slot on the Ozzfest bill signalled legitimacy.<\/p>

It also created cross-pollination. Fans who turned up for Ozzy were confronted with newer, heavier, sometimes stranger acts. That friction built scenes. It helped consolidate movements that might otherwise have remained regionally contained. Slipknot in particular are a prime example of this effect, Metal Hammer<\/a> described their 1999 Ozzfest debut as:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u201cThe start of something truly extraordinary,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

With Slipknot frontman, Corey Taylor, himself telling Rolling Stone<\/a>:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u201cOzzfest gave us an incredible opportunity and we were able to really jumpstart our career from there \u2026 The great thing about being a part of that Ozzfest was that you were immediately a part of a family.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u00a0<\/p>

From a marketing perspective (because I can\u2019t not look at it that way), Ozzfest functioned as a curated extremity machine. It packaged risk inside a recognisable brand. Audiences trusted the banner, which meant they were more willing to experiment within it.<\/p>

I went to \u201cBack to the Beginning\u201d last year knowing, realistically, that it would probably be the first and last time I would see Ozzy perform live. It will almost certainly go down as the best gig I ever attend, if only because of what it represented.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Hats off to Birmingham for fully embracing Back To The Beginning...<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u00a0<\/p>

There\u2019s something deeply surreal about watching someone who helped invent a genre on stage decades later, visibly affected by time but still commanding the attention of every single person in a sold out Villa Park, and that of the further thousands streaming the gig from all over the world. Ozzy wasn\u2019t just performing songs; he was embodying a lineage.<\/p>

You could feel the collective awareness in the crowd. This really wasn\u2019t just another tour circuit. It was a closing chapter.<\/p>

That\u2019s why Ozzfest returning doesn\u2019t cheapen that experience for me. It reframes it. While Ozzy\u2019s personal performing era may have reached its end, the infrastructure he and Sharon built doesn\u2019t have to vanish with it.<\/p>

It would be easy to dismiss a returning festival as nostalgia marketing. Heritage circuits are lucrative. Audiences age alongside their idols. There\u2019s a huge amount of money to be made through memory.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Ozzy Osbourne performing at Back To The Beginning, 7\/5\/2025 \u2014 Photograph by Ross Halfin<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\u00a0<\/p>

But Ozzfest has always been more than retrospective. If anything, it was generative.<\/p>

I\u2019ve got high hopes that the festival\u2019s return will feel less like a museum exhibit of headline ready bands (I\u2019ve got Download for that), and more like a reopening. That way Ozzy\u2019s final performance isn\u2019t undone. If anything, it becomes part of a larger arc: from originator, to icon, to the architect of a structure that outlives him.<\/p>

There\u2019s something quite comforting in that continuity.<\/p>

For me Ozzfest coming back doesn\u2019t dilute the emotion of his passing. But it does suggest that while individual careers conclude, the machinery they built keeps moving.<\/p>

Which is, in many ways, the most metal outcome possible…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n
\n <\/span>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tKeep Reading...\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1> <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t <\/div>\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t \"Satanic\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

Satanic Temple Declares Arkansas Victory<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tApril 13, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/i>Research<\/a>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow The Satanic Temple\u2019s Baphomet challenge exposed constitutional limits on religious monuments in...\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t \"Becoming\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

Becoming the Beast: Iron Maiden, Bone Temples & the End of Meaning<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tMarch 22, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/i>Research<\/a>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExploring how Iron Maiden\u2019s The Number of the Beast shapes the portrayal of Satan in 28 Years Later:...\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t \"The\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

The New Age of Satan: How AI and Abuse Are Fueling a 2026 Witchhunt<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tMarch 11, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/i>Research<\/a>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe New Age of Satan: How AI and Abuse Are Fueling a 2026 Witchhunt\nI was not expecting the first...\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Super exciting news!! But Ozzfest returning isn\u2019t just a nostalgia headline. It\u2019s also a food for thought on how infrastructure shapes music scenes. And more positively, how legacy can function as continuation rather than closure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":817,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gigs"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308.jpg",902,550,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308.jpg",902,550,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308.jpg",902,550,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308-300x183.jpg",300,183,true],"large":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308.jpg",800,488,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308.jpg",902,550,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1-1-e1772660031308.jpg",902,550,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Izzy Grady","author_link":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/author\/izzytheadmin_6534540\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Gigs<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Super exciting news!! But Ozzfest returning isn\u2019t just a nostalgia headline. It\u2019s also a food for thought on how infrastructure shapes music scenes. And more positively, how legacy can function as continuation rather than closure.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=814"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":887,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/814\/revisions\/887"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satansells.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}