On February 1st, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, Yungblud took home the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance. The win came from his live cover of “Changes,” originally by Black Sabbath. The performance was recorded on July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, during Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert, Back To The Beginning. The original version of “Changes” first appeared on Vol. 4, Black Sabbath’s fourth album released in 1972.
Yungblud’s version of “Changes” stood as a clear tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, built around a stripped-down and emotional delivery. He was joined by a stacked lineup of musicians, including Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, Anthrax bassist Frank Bello, Sleep Token drummer II, and Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath keyboardist Adam Wakeman. Together, they delivered a performance that focused on feel and respect rather than flash.
During his acceptance speech, Yungblud reflected on the moment and its meaning, saying: “You do not expect to be up here and then you fucking are, so it’s wild. To grow up loving an idol that helps you figure out your identity, not only as a musician but also as a man, is something I’m truly grateful for. But then to get to know them and form a relationship with them, honor them at their final show, and receive this because of it, is something that I and I think we’re all finding so strange to comprehend.”
He followed that with a direct message to his hero, stating: “We fucking love you Ozzy!”
Yungblud also acknowledged the Osbourne family and the larger community behind the event, adding: “We would all like to thank Sharon, Jack, Kelly, and Aimee for this opportunity. Everyone at the Back To The Beginning show, the whole band with me right now, where six generations of rock musicians came together in the name of our genre, in the name of Sabbath, and in the name of Ozzy Osbourne.”
Turning his focus to the future of heavy music, he made his stance clear: “I deeply love this genre. It’s all I’ve ever known. We want to dedicate this, and I want to dedicate this, to everyone in the guitar shop I grew up in and everyone in a guitar shop or a bedroom with a dream. Rock music’s fucking coming back. Watch out, pop music, we’re gonna fucking get you.”
He closed with a personal memory that tied the night together: “The last time I saw Ozzy Osbourne, you asked me if there’s anything you could do for me. I answered the music was enough, and I can safely say on behalf of all of us that still stands now and it will do forever. You’ll be with me every time I’m nervous and on stage at every show. God bless rock music and god bless fucking Ozzy Osbourne.”
