John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter and television personality. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath, widely considered to be the first heavy metal band. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 and has since had a successful solo career, releasing 11 studio albums, the first seven of which were all awarded multi-platinum certifications in the U.S. He has reunited with Black Sabbath on several occasions, recording the album 13 in 2013. Osbourne's longevity and success have earned him the informal title of "Godfather of Heavy Metal".