Tonight (Sept. 7), an all-star cast of musicians came together to a perform a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at the 2025 MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards).
The tribute featured Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Extreme‘s Nuno Bettencourt, punk star Yungblud and longtime Ozzy keyboardist Adam Wakeman.
Previously this summer at the Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham, England, Yungblud sang a cover of Black Sabbath‘s “Changes” alongside Bettencourt and Wakeman, as well as Anthrax‘s Frank Bello and Sleep Token‘s II. Meanwhile, Tyler had performed at Back to the Beginning as part of a supergroup that included Bettencourt.
It was quite the reunion for the rockers, who were tabbed to honor Osbourne as part of the TV broadcast on both MTV and CBS, in addition to various streaming partners.
Just before they took the stage, clips of Ozzy throughout the years were displayed as well as a video message from Jack Osbourne and his children. In it, Jack said, “I know for sure it would make him incredibly happy to see these great musicians carry on his legacy and help inspire the next generation of rockers. I’d like to give a special shout out to Dom [Yungblud], Nuno, Steve and Joe from Aerosmith. We love you, Dad.”
READ MORE: Red Carpet Photos at the 2025 MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards)
What Songs Were Played for the Ozzy Tribute at the 2025 MTV VMAs?
The set began with Yungblud, Bettencourt and Wakeman launching into a shortened version of “Crazy Train” followed by an abbreviated version of “Changes.”
Then, Tyler and Perry walked onstage to play “Mama, I’m Coming Home” with the spotlight on the Aerosmith members before the full band kicks in at the second verse. Yungblud and Tyler sang the rest of the song together with a cross outlined in lights behind them, resembling the regular fixture of Ozzy’s stage designs.
Once the band was done, another video of Ozzy played in which he said, “Thank you, goodnight. We love you all, God bless you.”
See more photos of the performance and the red carpet directly below.
MTV VMAs 2025 – Red Carpet + Performances
Scroll through photos of rock musicians on the red carpet and onstage at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff
Photos of Ozzy Osbourne’s Family Through the Years
To celebrate the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne, here are photos of the rocker’s family from the late ’70s through 2024.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
