Gods Of Rock N Roll: Billy Morrison Presents Sharon Osbourne With Ozzy’s Top 10 Award

Billy Morrison has presented Sharon Osbourne with Ozzy Osbourne’s official Top 10 award for “Gods Of Rock N Roll”, the song the two friends wrote together, which reached number 3 on the Official UK Vinyl Singles Chart. The presentation took place on 14 October 2026 at the world premiere of the concert film Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back To The Beginning at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Billy also celebrated a Billboard Top 20 hit with “Becoming”, his collaboration with Sully Erna and Nuno Bettencourt.

• Award: Official Charts Top 10 award for “Gods Of Rock N Roll”
• Chart peak: Number 3, Official UK Vinyl Singles Chart
• Artists: Billy Morrison and Ozzy Osbourne, featuring Steve Stevens
• Format: Double A side vinyl picture disc with “Crack Cocaine”
• Presented: 14 October 2026, The Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles
• Also charting: “Becoming” (feat. Sully Erna and Nuno Bettencourt), number 19 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay
• Latest album: Hollow, out now on TLG | ZOID / Virgin Music Group

Why did Sharon Osbourne receive Ozzy’s award for Gods Of Rock N Roll?

“Gods Of Rock N Roll” gave Ozzy a Top 10 vinyl hit in the UK, and the Official Charts made a special award to mark it. With Ozzy no longer with us, Billy wanted Sharon to have it, and there could not have been a more fitting place to hand it over than the premiere of the film that captures his farewell show.

“Being able to give Ozzy’s UK Award for a top 10 vinyl hit single with ‘Gods Of Rock N Roll’ to Sharon at the ‘Back To The Beginning’ film world premiere was a true honor,” Billy said. It was an emotional moment for everyone who knew how close the two men were. Billy has called Ozzy his best friend, and he delivered a eulogy at his funeral in England last year.

What is the story behind Gods Of Rock N Roll?

The song goes back around a decade. Billy and Ozzy wrote it together in a hotel room in Argentina while they were on tour in South America. A first version appeared on Billy’s 2015 solo album God Shaped Hole, but Ozzy always felt it deserved more.

Ozzy told Billy at the time that it needed an orchestra and a choir, and in 2025 Billy finally listened. The new version was recorded with a 61-piece orchestra, Ozzy on vocals and extra guitars from Steve Stevens, Billy’s long-time partner in Billy Idol’s band. The result is a huge, emotional power ballad that now feels like a farewell.

“When Ozzy and I wrote that song together in an Argentinian hotel room 10 or so years ago and recorded it properly in 2025, neither of us would have imagined that it would end up being a cool double A side vinyl picture disc with another song we wrote together that went to Number 1!!” Billy said.

What is on the Gods Of Rock N Roll picture disc?

The limited double A side picture disc pairs “Gods Of Rock N Roll” with “Crack Cocaine”, Billy’s 2024 collaboration with Ozzy, which also features Steve Stevens. All three wrote “Crack Cocaine” together, and it appeared on Billy’s third solo album, The Morrison Project. It went all the way to number 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.

Together, these two songs are the final studio performances Ozzy ever recorded. That makes this disc a real collector’s piece for any Ozzy fan, and it goes a long way to explaining why it climbed so high on the vinyl chart. If you want more of Ozzy’s duets, his classic “Close My Eyes Forever” with Lita Ford is still a fan favourite, and Lita has just returned with her new single Dracula.

What is Back To The Beginning?

Back To The Beginning was the farewell concert held at Villa Park in Birmingham on 5 July 2025. Ozzy performed a solo set and then reunited with the original Black Sabbath line-up of Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for one last time, with a huge line-up of guest bands paying tribute. Ozzy died just 17 days later, on 22 July 2025, which made the show all the more precious.

The concert film, Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back To The Beginning, held its world premiere at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on 14 October 2026. It gives fans who were not in Birmingham the chance to see the night that said goodbye to the man who helped invent heavy metal.

How did Becoming do in the charts?

Away from the Ozzy songs, Billy has another hit on his hands. “Becoming” reached number 19 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, and Billy and Nuno Bettencourt were photographed in Los Angeles holding plaques to mark it. It is Billy’s third top 20 rock hit in a row, and the song has also been entered on the For Your Consideration ballot for Best Rock Song at the Grammys.

The track was written by Billy, Sully Erna of Godsmack and Brett Scallions. Sully sings lead vocals, and Grammy winner Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme plays lead guitar. “‘Becoming’ was one of those songs that just felt right from the moment it was finished,” Billy said. “Having Sully Erna and Nuno Bettencourt on the track pushed it into some serious heavy rock territory and people loved it.”

What is Billy Morrison’s new album Hollow like?

Hollow is Billy’s fourth solo album, released in August 2026 on TLG | ZOID through Virgin Music Group. Like The Morrison Project, it mixes songs Billy sings himself with tracks featuring famous friends. The 12 songs include “The Tailor” with Marilyn Manson, “Leave No Trace” with Duff McKagan, “Another Day” with Steve Stevens, “Never Gonna Change” with Dexter Holland of The Offspring and “Devil In Your Eyes” with Chad Gray, plus Chuck D, B-Real and DMC on “No Suspects”.

It is heavy, dark and full of surprises, and “Becoming” is a great place to start before you dive into the whole record.

Who is Billy Morrison?

Billy Morrison is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as Billy Idol’s rhythm guitarist for the last 17 years alongside Steve Stevens. Before that he was a member of The Cult and Circus Diablo, and he still plays with the all-star covers band The Royal Machines.

He is also a respected fine artist, with Warhol-inspired work shown in top galleries, and he hosts “Influenced” on SiriusXM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard. A short documentary, Who the F%@K is Billy Morrison?, directed by Mike Savage, tells his story with help from Duff McKagan, Al Jourgensen, B-Real and Nuno Bettencourt. For more big rock stories this week, see how Alice Cooper hit number one with Devil On My Shoulder.

Gods Of Rock N Roll FAQ

Who wrote Gods Of Rock N Roll?

Billy Morrison and Ozzy Osbourne wrote it together in a hotel room in Argentina around ten years ago.

What chart position did Gods Of Rock N Roll reach?

It peaked at number 3 on the Official UK Vinyl Singles Chart.

Who plays guitar on Gods Of Rock N Roll?

Billy Morrison plays alongside Steve Stevens, who adds extra guitars to the 2025 version.

Was Gods Of Rock N Roll Ozzy’s last song?

“Gods Of Rock N Roll” and “Crack Cocaine” are Ozzy Osbourne’s final two studio performances.

Who sings on Billy Morrison’s Becoming?

Sully Erna of Godsmack sings lead vocals, with Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme on lead guitar.

Rock News final word

This is a story about friendship as much as charts. “Gods Of Rock N Roll” started as a song two mates knocked out in a hotel room, and it ended up as one of Ozzy’s last recordings and a Top 10 vinyl hit. Seeing that award go home with Sharon is the perfect ending. Put the video on, turn it up and raise a glass to the Prince of Darkness.

As an Amazon Associate, Rock News earns from qualifying purchases.