Which heavy metal vocalist is known as 'The Prince of Darkness'?

The heavy metal vocalist known as the “Prince of Darkness” is Ozzy Osbourne. Born John Michael Osbourne, he adopted the nickname as part of the dark, theatrical persona that became closely associated with his career.

Osbourne rose to fame as the original lead vocalist of Black Sabbath, the influential English band he co-founded in Birmingham in 1968. His distinctive voice and the band's ominous riffs helped shape heavy metal in the early 1970s. Songs such as “War Pigs,” “Paranoid,” and “Iron Man” made Black Sabbath a foundational act in the genre.

After leaving Black Sabbath, Osbourne launched a successful solo career beginning with Blizzard of Ozz in 1980. His stage image often embraced supernatural and macabre imagery, which reinforced the “Prince of Darkness” title. The nickname is not the same as “Madman,” another famous name associated with him, and it does not refer to Alice Cooper or Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi.