Here are the moments 15 big rock and metal bands played their final not for a live audience.
How they got there varies.
Black Sabbath, of course, knew it was the end. The same goes for Sum 41, who gave fans plenty of notice that their 2025 show in Toronto would be the final one.
READ MORE: The Most Played Cover Song by 65 Big Rock + Metal Bands
Then, there are the times the “end of the road” arrived seemingly out of nowhere. An on-stage altercation during a 2024 show ended Jane’s Addiction before they were even down with their set.
From emotional moments of bands saying goodbye to unexpected exits, these are the final songs from 15 big rock and metal bands who stopped touring.
Black Sabbath, ‘Paranoid’
Date: July 5, 2025
Venue: Villa Park
City: Birmingham, England
Black Sabbath initially announced their disbandment in 2017 and Ozzy Osbourne later said in interviews that he had no interest in reforming the band. They would play one final show together as part of the daylong Back to the Beginning concert celebrating the band and Osbourne in 2025.
Jane’s Addiction, ‘Ocean Size’ (partial)
Date: Sept. 13, 2024
Venue: Leader Bank Pavilion
City: Boston
The infamous incident during the 2024 Boston show led to Perry Farrell and the rest of Jane’s Addiction suing each other. Eventually, everyone settled out of court and reportedly reconciled. Even with reconciliation, the band has no plans to continue on.
KISS (In Makeup), ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’
Date: Dec. 2, 2023
Venue: Madison Square Garden
City: New York
This would be the last KISS show with band members in makeup. The final song was followed by avatar versions of KISS performing “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.” KISS have since played without makeup, with the most recent time being the KISS Kruise Landlocked in Las Vegas on Nov. 15, 2025.
Led Zeppelin (with John Bonham), ‘Whole Lotta Love’
Date: July 7, 1980
Venue: Eissporthalle
City: Berlin, Germany
Drummer John Bonham would die less than three months later on Sept. 25, 1980 at the age of 32. The surviving members of Led Zeppelin last played at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert on Dec. 10, 2007 with Jason Bonham on drums.
Motorhead, ‘Overkill’
Date: Dec. 11, 2015
Venue: Max-Schmeling-Halle
City: Berlin, Germany
The second leg of Motorhead‘s 40th anniversary tour in 2015 was initially supposed to end on Dec. 6. A pair of rescheduled shows in Germany instead pushed the leg’s conclusion to Dec. 11.
A third leg of the tour was to start the following month. Lemmy died four days after his birthday on Dec. 28 after dealing with several health issues, including prostate cancer and congestive heart failure.
Nirvana (with Kurt Cobain), ‘Heart-Shaped Box’
Date: March 1, 1994
Venue: Terminal 1 Flughafen München
City: Munich, Germany
Following the show, Kurt Cobain reportedly became ill. According to People, the remainder of Nirvana‘s 1994 European tour was cancelled following Cobain’s illness and subsequent suicide attempt.
A month later, Cobain’s body was found by an electrician at his home in Seattle. He was 27.
The remaining members of Nirvana last played together in New York on April 10, 2014, with guest singers including Joan Jett, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., St. Vincent, and Kim Gordon.
NOFX, ‘The Decline’
Date: Oct. 6, 2024
Venue: Berth 46
City: San Pedro, California
Following the final NOFX show, Fat Mike Burkett told a live crowd during a solo performance that he was being sued by guitarist Eric Melvin. The band appeared without Melvin during a premiere of a documentary about their dissolution, where they further discussed the alleged lawsuit.
Months later, Melvin issued a statement saying he never sued Burkett.
Ozzy Osbourne, ‘Crazy Train’
Date: July 5, 2025
Venue: Villa Park
City: Birmingham, England
“Crazy Train” closed Ozzy Osbourne‘s five-song solo set during Back to the Beginning. He would then perform an additional four songs with the three other founding members of Black Sabbath to close the show.
Osbourne died 17 days later at his home in Buckinghamshire. He was 76.
Rage Against the Machine, ‘Killing in the Name’
Date: Aug. 14, 2022
Venue: Madison Square Garden
City: New York
Two shows into their 2022 reunion tour, vocalist Zach de la Rocha suffered a brutal leg injury that left only eight percent of his Achilles tendon intact.
He continued to perform with the band while seated throughout the remainder of their U.S. dates. A subsequent European tour was canceled, as was a 2023 North American tour.
Guitarist Tom Morello was the only member to attend Rage Against the Machine‘s 2023 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Drummer Brad Wilk would later confirm RATM were no longer touring or recording new music.
Soundgarden (with Chris Cornell), ‘Slaves and Bulldozers’
Date: May 17, 2017
Venue: Fox Theatre
City: Detroit
Soundgarden‘s final song also included a refrain from “In My Time of Dying.” Following the show, Chris Cornell entered his hotel room at the MGM Grand in Detroit, where he was later found dead. His death was ruled a suicide. Cornell was 52.
The surviving members of Soundgarden have performed live various times since Cornell’s death. The latest saw the band joined by The Pretty Reckless‘ Taylor Momsen during halftime of the Seattle Seahawks’ 2026 season opener.
Sum 41, ‘Welcome to Hell’
Date: Jan. 30, 2025
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
City: Toronto
Sum 41 disbanded at what Deryck Whibley considered to be a “high point” for the band after a series of lows.
During an episode of Artist Friendly with Joel Madden, Whibley said he had gotten to a place where he was able to build the band back up after hitting what he considered to be a low point in their careers.
“It was just something inside of me way saying ‘It’s time, you’re ready for something else,’ even though I don’t know what that is necessarily.”
Type O Negative, ‘Black No. 1’
Date: Oct. 31, 2009
Venue: Harpos
City: Detroit
Type O Negative wrapped up their 2009 tour in Detroit on Halloween night. At the time, no one knew this would be the band’s final show.
A message on Type O Negative’s website on April 15, 2010 informed fans that vocalist/bassist Peter Steele had died while working on new music for the band’s upcoming album. It was later determined that the 48-year-old Steele had died of sepsis caused by diverticulitis.
Van Halen. ‘Jump’
Date: Oct. 4, 2015
Venue: Hollywood Bowl
City: Los Angeles
Van Halen set out on a North American tour in 2015 following the release of a live album. The tour wrapped with a pair of hometown shows at the Hollywood Bowl.
The band was fairly quiet in subsequent years as guitarist Eddie Van Halen struggled with mounting health issues, including cancer. He died almost five years to the day of their final show on Oct. 6, 2020.
Velvet Revolver, ‘Wish You Were Here’ (Pink Floyd cover)
Date: Jan. 12, 2012
Venue: House of Blues (Love You Madly benefit concert for John O’Brien)
City: West Hollywood, California
Scott Weiland left his role as vocalist of the rock supergroup Velvet Revolver in 2008 following contentious moments onstage with his bandmates. Four years later, the band would reunite with Weiland as part of a benefit concert for late composer John O’Brien.
The four-song set concluded with a cover of Pink Floyd‘s “Wish You Were Here.” The reunion ended up being just for that night as Velvet Revolver reportedly continued to search for a new lead singer.
Weiland died from an accidental overdose while on tour in 2015. He was 48.
The White Stripes, ‘Boll Weevil’
Date: July 31, 2007
Venue: Snowden Grove Amphitheater
City: Southaven, Mississippi
It was initially believed the Southaven, Mississippi show would not only be the final White Stripes concert, but also their last public appearance together. And while it was indeed their last show, they would indeed perform together one final time less than two years later.
The White Stripes‘ last official performance was during the final episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien on Feb. 20, 2009, when they played “We’re Going to Be Friends.”
Keep reading for a deeper dive into the final setlists from these bands and others who said goodbye.
The Setlist For 29 Big Rock + Metal Bands’ Final Show
Some were planned while others were shockingly unexpected. More often than not, music fans never know when their favorite band is going to play their final note. Relive the final sets from these 26 acts.
Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
