The Darkness’ Dan Hawkins Blasts Ozzy Tribute At VMAs: “Another Nail In The Coffin Of Rock N Roll”

One of the most heavily promoted and highly discussed moments of the 2025 VMAs on Sunday night (September 7) was the show’s tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, which included a heartfelt video from his son, Jack, and a performance featuring Yungblud, Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. While Ariana Grande was clearly blown away by what she witnessed on stage, The Darkness’ Dan Hawkins was decidedly unimpressed with the spectacle. The guitarist harshly criticized the Ozzy tribute in a scathing post on Instagram, which included a short clip from the performance and Grande’s dramatic reaction. “Another nail in the coffin of rock n roll,” Hawkins wrote of the tribute, while adding that he felt the performance was, “Cynical, nauseating and more importantly; sh*t. Makes me sick how people jump on this sh*t to further their own careers.” (Consequence of Sound)