Robert Plant Opens Up on Why He Turned Down Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s Farewell Invitation

When the announcement came that Black Sabbath would be taking their final bow in a grand farewell show, many assumed it would be more than just another heavy metal send-off. For Birmingham, the city where Sabbath was born, it was a cultural moment, a historic closure to a legacy that defined heavy music for half a century. The presence of friends, fellow musicians, and rock luminaries seemed like a certainty. That’s why, when it became known that Robert Plant had been invited but chose not to attend, questions immediately arose. After all, Plant and Ozzy Osbourne are two figures who helped shape the very foundations of hard rock and heavy metal.

Speaking for the first time about his decision, the former Led Zeppelin frontman explained that it was not about disrespect or disregard. Instead, it was about philosophy, timing, and his own view of music and legacy. Plant’s words revealed both reverence for Sabbath and the deep, personal reasons why he ultimately declined the invitation.

“I’ve got nothing but love and respect for what Ozzy and the lads created,” Plant said in an interview last week. “Sabbath were part of the same tapestry we all wove back then in Birmingham and beyond. Their music was monumental, uncompromising, and it changed everything. But when it comes to farewell shows, I feel differently. I don’t believe music—or a career like that—should ever really have an ending. To me, it’s not about curtain calls. It’s about carrying the spirit forward, quietly, into whatever comes next.”

Plant’s answer reflects his long-held resistance to grand reunions or finality in music. Since Led Zeppelin disbanded following John Bonham’s death in 1980, Plant has repeatedly resisted the temptation to reform the band in any permanent way, despite lucrative offers and overwhelming fan demand. While Zeppelin did reunite for one-off performances—most notably the legendary 2007 O2 Arena show in London—Plant has always argued that trying to recapture the past risks tarnishing its magic.

It’s that same philosophy that shaped his decision regarding Sabbath.

“I don’t really do goodbyes,” Plant admitted. “I’ve watched friends make big statements about their last tour or their last show, and then six months later they’re back again. I’m not criticizing that—it’s hard to walk away from something that defines your life. But for me, the music is eternal. It doesn’t need a farewell to stay alive.”

To some, Plant’s absence may have felt glaring. Sabbath’s farewell had been billed not only as a celebration of the band but also as a tribute to Birmingham’s role in creating heavy music. Plant himself grew up not far from where Ozzy and Tony Iommi were raised. Both Zeppelin and Sabbath emerged from the grit and industry of the Midlands, though their musical paths diverged—Zeppelin embracing mysticism and blues-rock experimentation, Sabbath forging the raw, doom-laden sound that would give birth to heavy metal.

“There’s always been this sense of kinship, even if the music was different,” Plant said. “We were all sons of the Midlands, trying to find light and sound in a world that could feel very heavy. Sabbath expressed that darkness in a way that was so powerful, and Zeppelin, we took it another way. But there was always mutual respect.”

Ozzy himself has often spoken warmly of Plant. In interviews, he described how he and Sabbath looked at Zeppelin with awe in the early days, even sharing stages together on a few occasions. “Zeppelin were gods to us,” Ozzy once said. “Robert had this voice that didn’t sound human. We were all just kids from Birmingham, but when Zeppelin made it, it felt like the doors had opened for the rest of us.”

Given that mutual admiration, Plant’s absence was not a snub, but rather a decision rooted in how he views the role of musicians at the end of their careers. He is far more interested in creating than commemorating.

Plant’s post-Zeppelin life has been defined by relentless exploration. From his collaboration with Alison Krauss, blending Americana and folk with haunting beauty, to his work with the Sensational Space Shifters, weaving in North African influences, Plant has never stood still. That restless spirit, he suggests, is what keeps him moving forward instead of dwelling on “farewell” moments.

“If I had gone, it would have been to cheer them on, not to mourn the end,” Plant explained. “But I think they’ve given the world everything they had. Their music isn’t going anywhere. You can hear those riffs tomorrow, ten years from now, or when your grandchildren discover them for the first time. That’s the beauty of it.”

Plant also spoke candidly about aging in the world of rock music. While some embrace the idea of “final chapters,” he sees it differently. “We’re not footballers or boxers where there’s a moment when the body says it’s over. Music doesn’t have that limit. You can step away quietly, you can reinvent yourself, or you can keep going until you drop. But for me, it’s never about putting a bow on it and saying, ‘That’s that.’ It’s always about what you can do next.”

The decision not to attend Sabbath’s farewell doesn’t mean Plant is distancing himself from his peers. Quite the opposite. He spoke with warmth about the legacy Sabbath leaves behind and the role Ozzy has played in carrying heavy metal into mainstream consciousness.

“Ozzy is one of a kind,” Plant said. “People underestimate how much courage it took for him to be who he was back then, with his voice, his stage presence, his madness. He was completely original. And Tony Iommi—well, there’s never been another riff master like him. What they built together was monumental. I just happen to believe their legacy doesn’t need me sitting in the audience to make it complete.”

In many ways, Plant’s response feels quintessentially him—deeply respectful, but rooted in his own stubborn independence. For a man who has spent decades sidestepping expectations, his decision shouldn’t surprise anyone. Just as he has resisted the idea of a permanent Zeppelin reunion, he resists the notion that music careers need ceremonial goodbyes.

For fans, Plant’s absence at Sabbath’s farewell might sting, but his reasoning adds a thoughtful layer to the conversation about legacy, memory, and how we say goodbye to the giants of music. He believes the best tribute to Sabbath isn’t applause at a farewell show but listening to “Paranoid” or “War Pigs” and feeling the same rush that kids felt in 1970.

“Music is a living thing,” Plant said, his voice softening. “It doesn’t die when the amps are turned off. Sabbath will live forever in the grooves of those records and in the way they made people feel. That’s immortality. That’s the real farewell.”

For Robert Plant, the greatest honor he can give Sabbath isn’t showing up in person, but letting their music remain eternal—untouched, unfinalized, and free to roar forever.