What an absolutely monumental night for rock and roll. The 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was filled with incredible moments, but the entire world seemed to stop and hold its breath for the tribute to one of music’s most enduring and beloved icons: the one and only Ozzy Osbourne. It was a celebration that felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a thunderous, heartfelt family reunion for the ages.
Kicking things off, who else but the force of nature that is Jack Black could have been tasked with inducting the Madman? In a speech that was equal parts hilarious, deeply personal, and reverent, Black delivered what can only be described as a sermon from the high altar of rock. He took us all back to his first encounter with Ozzy’s solo work, the legendary Blizzard of Ozz, a story that surely echoed the experience of millions of fans worldwide who had their minds blown by that record. It was a perfect, passionate, and wildly entertaining start to the main event.
But then, the real magic happened. The lights dimmed, the crowd roared, and a literal supergroup of rock and metal titans took the stage to perform a medley of Ozzy’s greatest solo hits. I mean, just look at this lineup—it’s the stuff of fantasy. The band formed to honor Ozzy included:
- The powerhouse drumming of Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- The thunderous, ground-shaking bass of Metallica’s own Robert Trujillo
- Modern rock maestro, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Watt on guitar
- The ever-reliable Adam Wakeman on keyboards, a veteran of Ozzy’s band
- Tool’s enigmatic frontman, Maynard James Keenan, lending his unique vocals
- The incredibly talented Wolfgang Van Halen on guitar
- The one and only guitar god and Ozzy’s longtime partner-in-crime, Zakk Wylde
- Country-rock superstar Jelly Roll, proving just how far Ozzy’s influence reaches
And as if that wasn’t enough, for the grand finale of “No More Tears,” the stage was graced by another pair of legends. Ozzy’s dear friend, the iconic Billy Idol, stormed the stage with his own legendary guitarist and collaborator, Steve Stevens, adding another layer of pure rock and roll energy to an already explosive performance.
It was a truly emotional and powerful sight, watching these incredible artists from different generations and genres come together with so much love and respect to play the music of a man who changed all of their lives.
Thankfully, the entire incredible segment was captured for those of us who weren’t lucky enough to be in the room. You can feel the electricity and witness the whole thing for yourself in the video below. It’s absolutely required viewing.
0:00 – Jack Black’s Incredible Induction Speech
6:17 – The Official Induction Video Package
11:30 – Ozzy Osbourne’s Heartfelt Acceptance Speech
14:00 – Performance: “Crazy Train”
16:24 – Performance: “Mama, I’m Coming Home”
18:58 – Performance: “No More Tears” (with Billy Idol & Steve Stevens)
