Everybody who loves karaoke has a go-to song, and apparently in the U.K. one Bon Jovi tune hails above all others.
A new study, commissioned by the telecommunications company Vodafone Three, finds that the New Jersey rockers’ #1 hit “Livin’ on a Prayer” is the U.K.’s ultimate karaoke tune and the karaoke song most likely to boost Brits’ moods.
Oxford University mathematician Dr. Tom Crawford created a formula to determine the ultimate karaoke tune, researching data from 2,000 karaoke fans. The results were determined by looking at things like number of verses, beats per minute and repetition of chorus, then ranking songs based on a score from 1 to 100.
Bon Jovi’s track topped all others with a score of 91%, followed closely by Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” with a 90% score.
The list also included songs by Oasis, Adele, ABBA, Shania Twain and the Spice Girls.
Released in 1986, “Livin’ on a Prayer” was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, and was the second single from the band’s third studio album, Slippery When Wet. It was their second #1, following the album’s first single, “You Give Love a Bad Name.”
Ozzy Osbourne‘s Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler have shared tributes to the late Prince of Darkness following news of his death Tuesday at age 76.
Iommi and Butler had just performed with Ozzy, along with original drummer Bill Ward, at Sabbath’s massive Back to the Beginning farewell concert on July 5, held in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England.
“I just can’t believe it! My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park,” Iommi says. “It’s just such heartbreaking news that I can’t really find the words, there won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother. My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family. Rest in peace Oz.”
In his own post, Butler says, “Goodbye dear friend- thanks for all those years- we had some great fun.”
“4 kids from Aston- who’d have thought, eh?” Butler continues. “So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.”
Ozzy, Iommi, Butler and Ward formed Black Sabbath in 1968, pioneering the genre of heavy metal.
Elton John: “So sad to hear the news of @ozzyosbourne passing away. He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”
Queen‘s Brian May: “So sad to hear of Ozzie’s passing. His last appearance at Villa Park was a glorious way to say goodbye – the love in that place for him was gigantic. I’m grateful I was able to have a few quiet words with him after the show. And happy to know he passed peacefully with his loving family close by. But the world will miss Ozzie’s unique presence and fearless talent. My heartfelt consolations to Sharon and their great family. And to Bill and Geezer and my dear friend Tony – for this is family – I know only too well. REST IN PEACE dear Ozzie.”
Nirvana: “Thank you Ozzy Osbourne for the inspiration. @BlackSabbath is the template for heavy Rock.”
Pearl Jam‘s Mike McCready: “Sad to hear Ozzy died today. When I was in high school I discovered Sabbath. ‘War Pigs’ was terrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. It was Ozzy’s voice that took me away to a dark universe. A great escape. Then when The Blizzard of Ozz record came out I was instantly a fan. Randy Rhoads was an influence on me to play lead guitar. Luckily I got to play on the song ‘Immortal’ on the last record. Thanks for the music, Ozzy it makes our journey in life better.”
Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott:“Kinda lost for words here… we toured with Ozzy in 1981 & he, the band & Sharon were SO supportive… he always had time for a chat, took us under his wing & showed us how & how not to party… & played us the 2nd album months before it came out… he was funny, charming & I for one am eternally grateful to have had the chance to spend precious time with him over the years… all my love to Sharon & the kids…God bless you Ozzy.”
The Rolling Stones‘ Ronnie Wood: “I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”
KISS‘ Gene Simmons: “Sad to report Ozzy has passed away. He was a giant. Admired and loved by millions of fans worldwide. Prayers and condolences go out to the Osborne family.”
Bush‘s Gavin Rossdale: “RIP OZZY – a great man -a true legend – i met ozzy through jack just a few times but he was so warm and kind and funny and i love that memory. sending much love to his family at this difficult time. Rest in power.”
Pantera: “RIP @ozzyosbourne Thank you for all that you did for metal & Pantera. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”
Billy Idol: “Very sad 2 hear of @ozzyosbourne sudden passing… I’m so glad that I could be part of his solo induction into the @rockhall last October that I got to honor his achievements in the light of his passing. Here I am pictured with @ozzyosbourne @stevestevens on the that night last October. I saw Black Sabbath one month before the first album came out at Worthing town hall in 1968 I was right at the front & his tassels were touching me! Ozzy embodied the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, and he performed right to the end as we all saw most recently at the back to the beginning concert. My condolences to Sharon Jack Kelly, and the whole family. My heart goes out to you.”
Yungblud: “I didn’t think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room. But as it is written with legends, they seem to know the things that we don’t. I will never forget you – you will be in every single note I sing and with me every single time I walk on stage. Your cross around my neck is the most precious thing I own. You asked me once if there was anything you could do for me and as I said then and as I will say now for all of us the music was enough. You took us on your adventure – an adventure that started it all. I am truly heartbroken. You were the greatest of all time.”
Sammy Hagar: “@OzzyOsbourne was and will always be a one of a kind true rock legend. For him to have been that close to death on July 5 and still get up there and perform like he promised… Wow! That puts him in a category of his own. Talk about commitment and loyalty to your fans. Nobody’s going to out-do that ever! RIP my brother, you did it all.”
Disturbed‘s David Draiman: “Goodbye my dear teacher……a father to us all.…my friend. I love you @ozzyosbourne and I will miss you terribly.”
Dee Snider: “Farewell @OzzyOsbourne. You and your bands changed my life. Thank you for the ride.”
Rod Stewart: “Bye, bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend. I’ll see you up there — later rather than sooner.”
Jason Momoa: “Love you @ozzyosbourne All my aloha @sharonosbourne and ohana. So grateful. RIP.”
Duran Duran: “What can you say about Ozzy? Whatever it is, it’s in a Brummie accent. Hard to imagine a world without him, Ozzy brought so much joy, humour and raw power to the world, in a life of many chapters. Ozzy was a cat who had way more than nine lives. Thanks for the ride Ozzy, love from the other Brummies.”
Flavor Flav: “Man,,, real heart broken over the passing of OZZY OSBOURNE,,, we go way back and it was a real honor to watch him get inducted into the @rockhall last year. Sending my love and prayers to Sharon and his kids and whole family. RIP.”
Ice T: “RIP Ozzy. Right after the recent huge Black Sabbath final concert. Sad.. In my opinion the Creators of Heavy Metal.”
Ozzy Osbourne, undoubtedly one of the most beloved and iconic heavy metal singers on the planet, has died at age 76.
A statement from his family issued on Tuesday reads, “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
In 1968, the Birmingham, England, native co-founded Black Sabbath with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. The band helped define the metal genre, thanks in large part to Osbourne’s otherworldly vocals on such classic tunes as “Iron Man,” “Paranoid” and “War Pigs.” Ozzy also gained notoriety for his often-drug-and-alcohol-fueled exploits. His persona and antics earned him the nicknames the Prince of Darkness and the Metal Madman.
After a decade with the group, Osbourne was fired from Sabbath in 1979, purportedly over his substance abuse. However, he soon launched a solo career that, with initial help from virtuoso guitarist Randy Rhoads, became more successful than Black Sabbath’s. Among Ozzy’s memorable tunes from the ’80s are “Crazy Train,” “Flying High Again,” “Shot in the Dark,” “Bark at the Moon” and “No More Tears.” In 1988, Osbourne scored a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Close My Eyes Forever,” a duet with former Runaways guitarist Lita Ford.
Ozzy occasionally reunited with Black Sabbath over the years, while mainly focusing on his solo endeavors. In 1996, Osbourne’s wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, launched Ozzfest, an annual hard-rock festival and tour that Ozzy regularly headlined either solo or with Sabbath.
In the early 2000s, the singer found a whole new audience when he starred alongside Sharon and two of their children — Jack Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne — in the hit MTV reality series The Osbournes, which ran from 2002 to 2005. He and Jack teamed up again for another reality show, Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour, which debuted in 2016.
In 2006, Ozzy was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath. The band — minus Ward — reunited to record a final studio album, 13, which was released in 2013. The group launched a farewell tour called The End that ran from January 2016 to February 2017.
Ozzy then refocused on his solo career and in 2018 launched the No More Tours II outing, which he intended to be his final major trek. But in early 2019 he battled an upper respiratory infection and pneumonia, which forced him to postpone tour legs in the U.K. and Europe, and cancel dates in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Also in 2019, Osbourne suffered a fall in his home, aggravating injuries he suffered in a 2003 ATV accident. He required extensive surgery and recovery time, and continued to postpone tour dates. In 2020, Ozzy revealed he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Amid all that, Ozzy continued to put out new music, including the Grammy-nominated 2022 solo album Patient Number 9, which he supported with several live appearances. Still, the effects from the 2019 fall continued to hamper him, and in early 2023, he announced that his long-postponed tour dates would be canceled and that he was retiring from touring.
In 2024, Ozzy returned to the stage for his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist: He shouted the iconic “All aboard”‘ intro to “Crazy Train” from a throne onstage. In addition to that song, an all-star band paid tribute to him with versions of “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “No More Tears.”
On July 5, 2025, Ozzy made his final onstage appearance as part of the epic 10-hour all-star Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham, England. He performed a five-song solo set while seated on a throne and was joined by his original Black Sabbath bandmates for a four-song set that included “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Paranoid.” The concert will screen in theaters in 2026.
Ozzy had announced earlier in July that a memoir entitled Last Rites will be released Oct. 7.
Ozzy Osbourne, undoubtedly one of the most beloved and iconic heavy metal singers on the planet, has died at age 76.
A statement from his family issued on Tuesday reads, “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
In 1968, the Birmingham, England, native co-founded Black Sabbath with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. The band helped define the metal genre, thanks in large part to Osbourne’s otherworldly vocals on such classic tunes as “Iron Man,” “Paranoid” and “War Pigs.” Ozzy also gained notoriety for his often-drug-and-alcohol-fueled exploits. His persona and antics earned him the nicknames the Prince of Darkness and the Metal Madman.
After a decade with the group, Osbourne was fired from Sabbath in 1979, purportedly over his substance abuse. However, he soon launched a solo career that, with initial help from virtuoso guitarist Randy Rhoads, became more successful than Black Sabbath’s. Among Ozzy’s memorable tunes from the ’80s are “Crazy Train,” “Flying High Again,” “Shot in the Dark,” “Bark at the Moon” and “No More Tears.” In 1988, Osbourne scored a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Close My Eyes Forever,” a duet with former Runaways guitarist Lita Ford.
Ozzy occasionally reunited with Black Sabbath over the years, while mainly focusing on his solo endeavors. In 1996, Osbourne’s wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, launched Ozzfest, an annual hard-rock festival and tour that Ozzy regularly headlined either solo or with Sabbath.
In the early 2000s, the singer found a whole new audience when he starred alongside Sharon and two of their children — Jack Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne — in the hit MTV reality series The Osbournes, which ran from 2002 to 2005. He and Jack teamed up again for another reality show, Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour, which debuted in 2016.
In 2006, Ozzy was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath. The band — minus Ward — reunited to record a final studio album, 13, which was released in 2013. The group launched a farewell tour called The End that ran from January 2016 to February 2017.
Ozzy then refocused on his solo career and in 2018 launched the No More Tours II outing, which he intended to be his final major trek. But in early 2019 he battled an upper respiratory infection and pneumonia, which forced him to postpone tour legs in the U.K. and Europe, and cancel dates in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Also in 2019, Osbourne suffered a fall in his home, aggravating injuries he suffered in a 2003 ATV accident. He required extensive surgery and recovery time, and continued to postpone tour dates. In 2020, Ozzy revealed he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Amid all that, Ozzy continued to put out new music, including the Grammy-nominated 2022 solo album Patient Number 9, which he supported with several live appearances. Still, the effects from the 2019 fall continued to hamper him, and in early 2023, he announced that his long-postponed tour dates would be canceled and that he was retiring from touring.
In 2024, Ozzy returned to the stage for his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist: He shouted the iconic “All aboard”‘ intro to “Crazy Train” from a throne onstage. In addition to that song, an all-star band paid tribute to him with versions of “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “No More Tears.”
On July 5, 2025, Ozzy made his final onstage appearance as part of the epic 10-hour all-star Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham, England. He performed a five-song solo set while seated on a throne and was joined by his original Black Sabbath bandmates for a four-song set that included “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Paranoid.” The concert will screen in theaters in 2026.
Ozzy had announced earlier in July that a memoir entitled Last Rites will be released Oct. 7.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Disney+
The sequel to the 1984 rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap will feature appearances by several rock stars, including Paul McCartney and Elton John. And the film’s director, Rob Reiner, has nothing but praise for their comedic talents.
“They were all great. Paul McCartney is really funny. I mean, really funny,” Reiner tells Entertainment Weekly. “And Elton was spot on. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, and either you can do it or you can’t do it.”
He adds, “But these guys are used to being asked questions. They’ve been asked a million questions over their careers by reporters, and so they were totally comfortable, and you’ll see what they say. It is good.”
Reiner says McCartney’s storyline comes out of a real experience where the guys in Spinal Tap were rehearsing for a tour, and McCartney was in another studio rehearsing for his tour and “dropped in on them.”
“He came in and said, ‘Hey fellas, sing us a song.’ And they wound up singing the worst version of ‘Start Me Up’ that ever lived,” Reiner tells the mag.
In the movie, McCartney pops in when Spinal Tap is rehearsing a song.
“McCartney comes, he listens, and then he gives a suggestion of what to do, how to fix it,” Reiner says. “And then they get into singing together. … And then that one is in the album.”
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues opens in theaters Sept. 12. In addition to McCartney and John, it will feature cameos by Garth Brooks, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich.
Billy Joel has shared his thoughts on The Beatles’ 1968 self-titled ninth studio album, commonly referred to as the White Album, and they aren’t positive.
During his appearance on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, Joel and Maher were discussing classic double albums when Maher mentioned The Beatles’ record.
“I’m not a big fan of the White Album, but some people love it,” Joel said. “I hear it as a collection of half-a**** songs they didn’t finish writing because they were too stoned, or they didn’t care anymore.”
He adds, “I think they had fragments and they put them on the album.”
Joel also suggested that John Lennon “was disassociated” during the recording of the record, and Paul McCartney was “carrying the weight.”
While The Beatles officially broke up in 1970, Joel said he has a theory that the Fab Four “almost broke up a couple of times, just like a marriage.” He added, “They had their ups and downs and sometimes they were more prolific and sometimes they weren’t and I hear that in some of those things.”
Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham continue to tease fans with the possibility of some news on the horizon.
The former couple and Fleetwood Mac bandmates began the teases on Instagram by sharing lyrics to “Frozen Love.” The track appeared on their 1973 album, Buckingham Nicks, which they recorded before joining Fleetwood Mac.
Stevie offered a post with the words “if you go forward” written in cursive, while Lindsey shared a similarly styled post with the words “I’ll meet you there,” which is the first line in the song’s chorus.
The cryptic teases have now moved to Los Angeles, as fans on social media have been sharing photos of billboards that have been popping up. They feature the topless photos of Stevie and Lindsey from the cover of Buckingham Nicks. The billboards list both their names, along with the title of the album and the date Sept. 19, suggesting they could be teasing a reissue of the album.
Buckingham Nicks was the only studio album Stevie and Lindsey released as a duo. Shortly after the release Mick Fleetwood heard “Frozen Love” and invited them to join Fleetwood Mac.
Grateful Dead is set to revisit their 1975 album Blues for Allah with a 50th anniversary expanded edition.
The three-CD and digital set, dropping Sept. 12, will include a remastered version of the album, along with two hours of unreleased recordings.
The bonus material includes performances of the band’s soundcheck from their Aug. 12, 1975, concert at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, as well as from their June 21, 1976, show at the Tower Theatre in Pennsylvania, and Bill Graham’s SNACK (Students Need Athletics, Culture, and Kicks) Benefit at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium on March 23, 1975. The latter includes a rare performance of the Blues for Allah track “King Solomon’s Marbles.”
As a preview of the newly remastered album, the first track released is “The Music Never Stopped,” which is now available via digital outlets.
In addition to the three-CD set, the remastered version of Blues for Allahwill be released on 180-gram black vinyl, picture disc and limited edition “Midnight Fire” custom vinyl, and like the original album, all three will include a lyric sheet with both English and Arabic translations.
There will also be a Blu-ray featuring Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround, hi-resolution stereo and instrumental mixes of the album, available at Rhino.com.
Released Sept. 1, 1975, Blues for Allah was recorded by The Dead during an extended hiatus from touring. It marked the only time the band went into a recording session without pre-written material, developing almost all of the songs in the studio. The album peaked at #12 on the chart, making it their third straight top-20 album.
Elvis Costello launched his music career with the U.K. release of his debut album, My Aim Is True.
The album, produced by Nick Lowe, featured Costello backed by the San Francisco country rock band Clover, although contractual issues resulted in their name being left off the album.
Although the album did not contain any chart-topping singles, at least two tracks went on to be Costello classics, “Alison” and “(These Angels Want to Wear) My Red Shoes.”
After the release, Costello was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy, although he lost to the R&B group ATaste of Honey.
Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton kick off a new tour on Sept. 18 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A complete list of dates can be found at ElvisCostello.com.
