Ozzy Osbourne wasn’t always lost in heavy metal — in fact, he once fell deeply for one of Peter Gabriel’s most beloved albums. According to his son Louis on Jack Osbourne’s Trying Not to Die podcast, Ozzy was “obsessed” with Gabriel’s 1986 record So. So includes classics like “Sledgehammer,” “Big Time,” “In Your Eyes,” and the duet with Kate Bush, “Don’t Give Up,” and Ozzy listened to it constantly. Louis says that during that time, his dad and the family would play the album over and over, even though their go-to favorites had mostly been Beatles records before that.
Ozzy’s appreciation for So wasn’t a secret just to his family — listeners may be surprised to hear how vivid it really was. Louis also revealed that Ozzy had a crush on Kate Bush, whose voice joined Gabriel on “Don’t Give Up.” That personal connection may have made the record even more meaningful.
Despite being a pioneer of metal, Ozzy didn’t limit his musical tastes. His sons shared how much he valued melody and production: he wasn’t just into loud guitars. Jack Osbourne said his dad would frequently listen to 1980s music, naming Tears for Fears among his favorites, and Louis added that Ozzy also loved artists like Adele and Amy Winehouse later in life. Ozzy’s playlist: more diverse than you might assume — from pop to soul to thoughtful rock.
What’s more, Jack mentioned that Ozzy’s love for iconic voices didn’t stop there. He admired singers like Annie Lennox and often listened to music with lush vocal performance, a taste that reflected his softer side. At the same time, he did enjoy some rock staples — occasionally spinning AC/DC or even catching Metallica or Guns N’ Roses — but what truly moved him were albums with strong songwriting and emotional depth.
William-Otis Osbourne’s fondness for Gabriel’s So shows a side of Ozzy that many fans may not have known: he wasn’t just the “Prince of Darkness,” he was also a man with wide-ranging musical curiosity and a genuine love for great production and emotional resonance.
