Rock music loves a good torch-passing moment. But usually, those moments happen in small clubs or during a late-night jam session, not in front of 40,000 screaming fans at a Premier League stadium. When the news broke that a 27-year-old kid from Doncaster was going to take center stage at Black Sabbath’s final-ever farewell, the "Back to the Beginning" concert at Villa Park on July 5, 2025, the internet basically had a meltdown.
The purists were furious. Metalheads on Reddit were calling it a "travesty" before he even stepped on stage. They didn't think Dominic Harrison—known to the world as Yungblud—belonged anywhere near the legacy of the Prince of Darkness.
Then he started singing.
The Performance That Silenced the Critics
The song was "Changes." Originally a piano ballad from Vol. 4, it’s a track that demands vulnerability over volume. Yungblud didn't just walk out there alone; he was backed by a legitimate heavy metal supergroup. We're talking Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme on guitar, Frank Bello of Anthrax on bass, the mysterious "II" from Sleep Token on drums, and Adam Wakeman holding down the keys.
It was a recipe for disaster or legend.
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Honestly, the atmosphere was thick. You've got 40,000 people who grew up on Paranoid and Master of Reality watching a guy in smeared eyeliner take on a sacred cow. But when Yungblud hit those first notes, something shifted. He wasn't doing his usual high-energy, tongue-out punk routine. He was still. He was raw. The vocal delivery was so massive that people in the back of the stadium reportedly heard him even when he pulled the mic away from his face.
By the time the song ended, the boos had turned into a standing ovation. Even the most cynical fans were seen wiping away tears. It wasn't just a cover; it was a reclamation of what rock and roll is supposed to feel like.
Why Yungblud Changes Black Sabbath Matters in 2026
We're sitting here in early 2026, and the impact of that single performance is still being felt across the industry. This wasn't some cynical marketing ploy. It turns out Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne had been mentoring Yungblud for years. They saw a bit of that old-school Birmingham grit in him—the kind of "never apologize" attitude that defined the early days of metal.
Yungblud changes Black Sabbath by bridging a massive generational gap. Before this, the rock world felt fractured. You had the "legacy" acts and the "TikTok" stars, and they rarely talked to each other.
Since that night:
- The live recording of "Changes" was released as a charity single, with 100% of the proceeds going to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice.
- The track became a cornerstone of Yungblud’s fourth album, Idols, which dropped in June 2025 and rocketed to Number 1 in the UK.
- The performance earned a nomination for Best Rock Performance at the 2026 Grammys.
It’s crazy to think about, but the guy who was once called a "poser" by Sharon Osbourne (joking, of course, in the video for "The Funeral") is now the person carrying the torch for Ozzy’s legacy.
Dealing with the Backlash
Not everyone is a fan, obviously. After the 2025 MTV VMAs, where Yungblud did another Ozzy tribute with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the knives came out again. Dan and Justin Hawkins of The Darkness were pretty vocal, calling the whole thing "cynical" and "nauseating."
Yungblud’s response? He welcomed it.
He told Billy Corgan on a podcast that he likes the challenge. He knows he’s polarizing. But he also has the ultimate trump card: a literal endorsement from the man himself. Before he passed in July 2025, Ozzy Osbourne famously said of Yungblud's "Changes" cover: "He did an amazing job. I couldn't have done it better myself."
When the Prince of Darkness gives you the keys to the castle, what the critics say sort of stops mattering.
The Actionable Legacy: What to Do Next
If you're a fan of the old guard or the new wave, there’s a lot to dig into here. This isn't just about one song; it’s about a shift in how rock music survives in the 2020s.
- Watch the Concert Film: Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow is hitting theaters in early 2026. It features the full "Changes" performance in high fidelity. It’s the best way to see the crowd's reaction go from skeptical to emotional.
- Support the Cause: The charity single is still active. Every stream of "Changes (Live from Villa Park)" on Spotify or Apple Music sends money directly to Parkinson's research. It’s a rare case where your playlist actually helps people.
- Check out the "Idols" Tour: Yungblud is currently on his 2026 world tour. He’s been performing "Changes" every single night as a tribute to Ozzy. He even gets the crowd to turn to the person next to them and say "I love you" before the song starts. It’s a bit hippy-dippy for some, but in an arena full of people, it kind of works.
- Listen to the Aerosmith Collab: If you want more of that classic-meets-modern sound, check out the One More Time EP he released with Aerosmith in late 2025. It’s got that same "passing the torch" energy.
Rock and roll isn't dying; it's just changing its clothes. Whether you like the eyeliner or not, the sincerity is hard to argue with.