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Ozzy Osbourne announced for Download Festival 2018
He's the first of three headliners to be announced.
Rock legend and Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne has been announced as the first headliner for Download Festival 2018. It marks the first time the heavy metal icon will top the bill as a solo artist.
Download Festival, the world’ premier rock and metal event, will take place at Donington Park – the spiritual home of rock – from the 8 – 10 June 2018.
The Prince of Darkness will headline the Sunday night, having previously headlined the festival fronting Black Sabbath. The show will mark one of the final times to catch Ozzy’s music live, forming part of Osbourne’s final world tour.
“We’re unbelievably excited to have Ozzy as one of the headliners next year,” Download Festival’s promoter Andy Copping announced. “Already hailing from the midlands, Ozzy Osbourne is no stranger to Download, and after Black Sabbath closed the festival in 2016, how could I not ask The Prince of Darkness to come back all on his own? The Download family are without a shadow of a doubt, in for a treat.”
In its time, Download Festival has welcomed the biggest names in rock and metal to Donington Park. The likes of AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, The Prodigy, Rage Against The Machine, Slipknot, Linkin Park and more have graced the festival as headliners. Ozzy Osbourne joins the ranks with his solo set next year.
Ozzy has eleven solo albums to his name, as well as nine studio records as the frontman of Black Sabbath. Most recent music comes in the from of solo album Scream, and Black Sabbath’s 2013 release 13.
Black Sabbath first headlined Download Festival in 2005, flanked by fellow bill-toppers Feeder and System of a Down. They returned in 2010 to headline the Sunday, preceded by The Prodigy on the Friday, and Metallica on the Saturday.
Ozzy Osbourne returned in 2016 to front Black Sabbath on Saturday 11 June, with Rammstein and Iron Maiden rounding off the weekend’s headliners.
2018 will mark the first year Ozzy Osbourne will headline the festival solo.
Tickets for Download Festival, headlined on the Sunday by Ozzy Osbourne, are available now through Ticketmaster.co.uk.