If you thought Ozzfest was gone for good, Sharon Osbourne has other plans. Speaking on a music-industry panel in Cannes, she said the hard-rock festival she co-founded is officially on track to return in 2027, ending a near-decade break. The comeback is being framed as a tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne and a way to keep Ozzfest's reputation as a launchpad for new heavy acts alive. Concrete details like dates, venues and lineups are still under wraps.
Sharon's MIDEM Comments
At the MIDEM conference inside the Palais des Festivals, Sharon sat down with moderator Andy Copping and did not hedge when asked about reviving the brand. "Yes, absolutely. Yeah, we're gonna do it," she said, adding that she has been "talking to Live Nation" about bringing the tour back, according to Billboard. She recalled that Ozzy once asked whether "Ozzfest would work without me" and said she believes the festival can and should continue in his honor. Sharon also hinted she might shake up the mix of genres on the next run in order to broaden the bill.
Where Ozzfest Left Off
Ozzfest ran nearly every year from 1996 through 2018 and grew into a proving ground for acts like Slipknot, Tool and Linkin Park. Its last full festival appearance before the long pause was a New Year's Eve show at The Forum in Inglewood in 2018, which Pollstar reports grossed more than $1.2 million. Sharon says any reboot will try to preserve Ozzfest's long-standing emphasis on new talent, even if the overall lineup evolves.
Ozzy's Final Year and Legacy
Ozzy Osbourne closed out his performing career with a "Back to the Beginning" all-day show at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5, 2025, a star-studded hometown finale, according to The Guardian. He died on July 22, 2025. The Associated Press reports that his death certificate lists cardiac arrest and coronary artery disease among the causes.
What a 2027 Ozzfest Could Look Like
Sharon has said she wants the revived festival to keep its "summer-camp" feel for emerging bands while also allowing room to stretch genre boundaries, and Loudwire notes that she confirmed a 2027 target during her MIDEM appearance. Specifics on dates, venues and lineups are still being worked out and have not been made public. For fans and industry watchers, the big question is whether Ozzfest's formula that paired legacy headliners with stages full of new acts will return intact.
For now, Sharon's comments are the clearest signal yet that Ozzfest, long tied to American summer touring metal, is being lined up for a full-scale return as a major touring brand in 2027. Updates on cities, schedules and the first wave of bands are still to come.
