Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s Farewell Show Breaks Record as Highest-Grossing Charity Concert Ever
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A Historic Farewell
Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” concert has made history. It raised more money than any other charity concert since the famous 1971 Concert for Bangladesh led by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar. That earlier show helped define what all-star benefit concerts could look like.
This farewell show, promoted as Osbourne’s final performance, raised around $190 million—or 140 million British pounds—according to musical director Tom Morello, who shared the update on Instagram.
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Helping Three Major Causes
According to Black Sabbath and their charity partners, the money will be split evenly among three causes: Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Acorn Children’s Hospice, and Cure Parkinson’s. Cure Parkinson’s is especially personal to Osbourne, who has been living with the disease since 2019. The final donation amounts for each group have not been confirmed.
More than 40,000 fans attended the concert at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on July 5. Another 5.8 million people watched the event online. This made it not only a major live event but a global moment for heavy metal fans and charitable giving.
Fans and Donations Keep Growing
The three charities said they received extra support during and after the show. They raised tens of thousands of pounds more through raffles, auctions, and personal donations. Black Sabbath gave away rare band photographs and art, which were auctioned off for charity. Fans also donated at the venue as they arrived for the concert.
Watch Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning full set below:
