Members of Guns N’ Roses are set to take part in one of the most anticipated musical tributes of the year, honoring the late Ozzy Osbourne at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards. The live performance — one of the standout moments of this year’s ceremony — will bring together musicians who played on Osbourne’s final recordings alongside artists from across the rock world.
Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses will join forces with Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and multi-genre producer and musician Andrew Watt for the tribute, which is expected to highlight Osbourne’s enduring influence and musical legacy. The performance is scheduled to air as part of the 2026 GRAMMYs broadcast on Sunday, February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Ozzy Osbourne — often called the “Prince of Darkness” and a defining figure in heavy metal both as a solo artist and frontman of Black Sabbath — passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76 after a prolonged battle with illness. In the months since his death, tributes from fans and fellow musicians have poured in worldwide, celebrating his vast catalogue and indelible mark on rock music.
This GRAMMYs tribute is part of the ceremony’s broader In Memoriam segment, which will remember several influential artists the industry lost over the past year. Alongside the Osbourne tribute performance, the 2026 GRAMMYs will feature other tribute performances honoring departed musical icons as part of the live broadcast.
The tribute lineup reflects musicians who were both collaborators with Osbourne and inheritors of his rock legacy:
- Slash (Guns N’ Roses) and Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) — both played on Osbourne’s final studio albums and helped shape the sound of that late-period work.
- Post Malone — the multi-genre artist has direct ties to Osbourne, collaborating with him previously and appearing on tracks tied to his final recordings.
- Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Andrew Watt — key contributors to Osbourne’s late era albums and part of the core musical team around his final projects.
The performance is expected to be both emotional and musically powerful, celebrating Osbourne’s broad impact on rock, metal, and beyond.
The 2026 GRAMMY Awards — the music industry’s most prominent peer-based honors — will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, February 1. While the ceremony features award presentations across genres and categories, the tribute to Ozzy Osbourne stands out for its high-profile lineup and deep emotional resonance, marking one of the evening’s most anticipated moments.
The celebration underscores Osbourne’s lasting influence, not only as a pioneer of heavy metal but as a collaborator whose work continued to evolve and resonate with newer generations of artists up until his final years.
