At VMAs 2025, an Ozzy Osbourne tribute lures Steven Tyler further out of retirement

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At the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards held on a Sunday, the poignant goodbye of a legendary rock figure paved the way for another’s comeback performance on TV.

As a follower, I found myself back on stage during the annual awards show, joining forces with my bandmate Steven Tyler, alongside Yungblud and Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt. Our goal was to celebrate the life and music of the late Ozzy Osbourne, the groundbreaking heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath frontman who sadly passed away at 76 in July. Known for my hit “Livin’ on the Edge,” I, at 77 years old, was honored to help the VMAs commemorate Ozzy more than a year after Aerosmith announced our retirement from touring.

On Sunday, the tribute featured a mix of popular songs “Crazy Train,” “Changes,” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” with Yungblud igniting the crowd with his rendition of the opening number. Before he stepped onto the stage, Yungblud paid respect to Ozzy Osbourne by kissing the cross necklace that had been given to him, and it seemed like he said, “For Ozzy!

At the VMAs, Yungblud treated attendees to a snippet of his performance at Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert in July. Following some intense head-banging to “Crazy Train”, he switched gears by singing a portion of “Changes”, a song he had previously performed at Ozzy Osbourne’s final show.

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At last, Tyler appeared dramatically with Perry, beginning the performance by singing the initial verses of Osbourne’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” As they sang, snapshots of Osbourze from different stages of his life flashed intermittently behind them. To wrap up the heartfelt tribute, Yungblud joined Tyler, blending harmonies and alternating lines to bring the powerful ballad to its conclusion.

“Ozzy forever, man!,” Yungblud yelled out at the end of the song, embracing Tyler.

Aerosmith made known their plan to cease live performances following an injury to Tyler’s vocal cords in a September 2023 show on the Peace Out: The Farewell Tour. In an announcement from August 2024, they acknowledged that Tyler had been having trouble restoring his voice to its previous condition post-injury.

Regrettably, it appears that his vocal injury won’t allow for a complete healing, leading us to a tough choice – one that is both sad and essential. As a united band, we’ve decided to step away from live performances.

It’s said that Tyler resumed live performances a few months following the announcement, performing alongside Aerosmith bandmate Tom Hamilton at his sixth annual Grammy Awards viewing party in February held at the Hollywood Palladium – an event known as Jam for Janie. According to Billboard, this performance consisted of six songs and included guest appearances by Bettencourt, Billy Idol, Joan Jett, Lainey Wilson, and other musicians.

World & Nation

Last year’s vocal cord injury has left Steven Tyler’s voice permanently altered, and as a result, Aerosmith has decided they will no longer embark on tours.

Following the VMAs, Tyler’s daughter Mia Tyler expressed admiration for her father’s stage return on Instagram. She shared a clip of the performance and wrote in her post, “That’s how you pay tribute.” The caption continued, “Simply stunning. Absolutely stunning.

In my own words, I can’t help but express how fantastic my father appears! I feel incredibly proud of him. Sending love to everyone close to Ozzy.

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the electrifying MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), broadcast live on CBS from the iconic UBS Arena in New York City. The show was expertly hosted by the legendary LL Cool J.

The spotlight of the evening undoubtedly belonged to none other than Lady Gaga, who, just hours before her much-anticipated concert at Madison Square Garden, swept the awards, taking home a total of four prizes. Among them were the coveted titles of Artist of the Year and Best Direction. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter also shone brightly with three wins each.

It was an unforgettable night filled with music, style, and celebrity encounters that I won’t soon forget!

Music

The BBC chose to postpone the documentary on Ozzy Osbourne due to consideration for his family members.

Mariah Carey became a member of an elite group that receives the Video Vanguard Award. Meanwhile, Busta Rhymes was given the Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin received the Latin Icon Award. In characteristically flamboyant style, Carey playfully expressed her past frustrations about award snubs as she accepted her prize from Grande. (The last sentence can be omitted if you don’t wish to include that detail.)

She exclaimed, “I never thought this day would come, but here I am winning my first VMA! I must ask, though – what took so long? I’m just teasing, MTV, I adore you, and this experience is fantastic!

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2025-09-08 23:01