Ozzfest is coming back.

After years away from the U.S. festival circuit, Ozzfest is set to return in 2027, bringing one of heavy metal’s most recognizable festival brands back to the stage.

The announcement marks a new chapter for an event that began in 1996 and went on to feature some of the biggest names in metal and hard rock, including Black Sabbath, Slayer, Pantera, Tool, Slipknot, System of a Down, Korn, Iron Maiden, Metallica and many more.

But before Ozzfest returns in 2027, it is worth looking back at how the festival became such an important part of metal history.

Here’s what we know about Ozzfest 2027, followed by a year-by-year look at the festival’s history and some of the biggest bands that played Ozzfest from 1996 through 2018.

Ozzfest 2027: What We Know About the Return

Ozzfest has officially confirmed that it will return to both the UK and the United States in 2027.

The announcement came in September 2026, with organizers promising that more information would follow.

The UK edition has already been connected with Birmingham’s Villa Park, while the location of the 2027 U.S. edition has not yet been announced.

The lineup has also not been revealed.

That means fans will have to wait for official announcements before knowing which bands will appear at Ozzfest 2027.

For now, the confirmed news is simple: Ozzfest is returning in 2027.

And that alone is significant considering the festival’s long history.

What Is Ozzfest?

Ozzfest was created in 1996 and was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne.

The festival was built around heavy metal, hard rock and other forms of aggressive rock music. Instead of focusing only on established stars, Ozzfest also gave younger and emerging bands opportunities to perform in front of large audiences.

Over the years, the festival became a major platform for metal bands.

Its lineups included established legends alongside newer acts that would later become major names in the genre.

The festival also evolved over time. What began as a touring festival eventually included international editions and special events such as Ozzfest Japan and Ozzfest Meets Knotfest.

Ozzfest History: From 1996 to 2018

Ozzfest began in 1996 and quickly became one of the most recognizable festivals in heavy music.

Ozzy Osbourne headlined alongside bands including Slayer, Danzig, Sepultura, Fear Factory and Biohazard.

From there, the festival expanded its lineup and became an annual destination for metal fans.

The following years brought an impressive collection of bands, including Black Sabbath, Pantera, Tool, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, Deftones, Primus, System of a Down, Slipknot, Korn, Iron Maiden and Metallica.

Ozzfest also helped introduce major audiences to bands that were still developing their careers.

System of a Down, Slipknot, Disturbed and other acts became closely associated with the festival during its most active years.

Ozzfest Year-by-Year Lineups

The table below highlights major headliners and notable acts associated with Ozzfest editions from its 1996 debut through 2018.

It includes U.S. editions as well as notable international editions and Ozzfest-related events.

Year	Main Stage Headliners / Notable Acts
1996	Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Danzig, Biohazard, Sepultura, Fear Factory
1997	Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Manson, Pantera, Type O Negative, Fear Factory
1998 (US)	Ozzy Osbourne, Tool, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, Soulfly, Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Motörhead
1998 (UK)	Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Foo Fighters, Pantera, Soulfly, Slayer
1999	Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Deftones, Primus, Rob Zombie, Slayer
2000	Pantera, Godsmack, Static-X, Incubus, Soulfly
2001	Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, Disturbed
2002	Ozzy Osbourne, System of a Down, Rob Zombie, P.O.D., Drowning Pool, Andrew W.K.
2003	Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Disturbed, Marilyn Manson, Chevelle
2004	Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Slayer, Slipknot, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, Dimmu Borgir
2005	Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Mudvayne, Rob Zombie, Killswitch Engage, Mastodon
2006	System of a Down, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, DragonForce
2007	Ozzy Osbourne, Lamb of God, Static-X, Lordi
2008	Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Serj Tankian, Hellyeah
2009	No regular U.S. Ozzfest tour
2010	Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Halford, DevilDriver
2013 (Japan)	Black Sabbath, Tool, Stone Sour, Slipknot
2015 (Japan)	Ozzy & Friends, Korn, Evanescence, Of Mice & Men, VAMPS
2016	Black Sabbath, Disturbed, Megadeth, Opeth, Black Label Society — Ozzfest Meets Knotfest
2017	Ozzy Osbourne, Prophets of Rage, Deftones, Children of Bodom, Orange Goblin — Ozzfest Meets Knotfest
2018	Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Jonathan Davis, Body Count, Zakk Sabbath, DevilDriver, Wednesday 13

Note: This table highlights major headliners and notable acts rather than every performer from every edition. Some entries represent international editions or Ozzfest Meets Knotfest events.

The Early Years: Ozzfest 1996–1999

The first Ozzfest immediately established the festival’s identity.

The 1996 lineup included Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Danzig, Sepultura, Fear Factory and Biohazard, creating a bill that represented several different sides of heavy music.

The following year was even bigger.

Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Manson, Pantera, Type O Negative and Fear Factory appeared on the 1997 bill.

Then came 1998, with the U.S. edition featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Tool, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, Soulfly, Sevendust, Coal Chamber and Motörhead.

The festival was already becoming a major meeting point for different generations of heavy music.

By 1999, the lineup included Black Sabbath, Rob Zombie, Deftones, Slayer, Primus, Godsmack and System of a Down.

Ozzfest in the 2000s

The 2000s became one of the most important periods in Ozzfest history.

The festival continued bringing together legendary acts and newer bands.

In 2001, the lineup included Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Papa Roach, Linkin Park and Disturbed.

The following year, Ozzy Osbourne returned to headline alongside System of a Down, Rob Zombie, P.O.D., Drowning Pool and Andrew W.K.

Ozzfest continued to evolve as metal itself changed.

Korn, Disturbed, Slipknot, Lamb of God, Avenged Sevenfold and DragonForce all appeared during the decade, while veteran acts such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest continued to anchor major editions.

Ozzfest 2005: Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden

The 2005 edition stands out because of the combination of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.

The lineup also included Mudvayne, Rob Zombie, Killswitch Engage and Mastodon.

It was another example of Ozzfest bringing together major established metal acts with bands representing newer generations of heavy music.

Ozzfest 2008: Ozzy and Metallica

Ozzfest took a different approach in 2008.

Instead of a traditional multi-city tour, the festival became a one-day event in Dallas, Texas.

Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica headlined the event.

The bill also featured Serj Tankian and Hellyeah, among other performers.

The one-day format demonstrated how Ozzfest had changed from its original touring model.

Why Was There No Ozzfest in 2009?

There was no regular U.S. Ozzfest tour in 2009.

The official announcement for the 2010 return described Ozzfest as coming back after taking a year off in 2009.

That made the 2010 edition an important return for the festival.

Ozzfest 2010

Ozzfest returned to the United States in 2010 with Ozzy Osbourne and Mötley Crüe sharing the top of the bill.

Rob Halford, DevilDriver and Nonpoint were also on the main stage.

The festival returned to its multi-city touring format, with dates across several U.S. cities.

It was another major moment in Ozzfest history because the festival had returned after the one-off 2008 event and 2009 break.

Ozzfest Goes International

Ozzfest eventually expanded beyond its traditional U.S. home.

Japan became an important destination.

Ozzfest Japan debuted in 2013 and returned in 2015.

The 2015 edition featured Ozzy & Friends, Korn and Evanescence among the major acts, alongside a much larger lineup of international and Japanese performers.

The festival’s international expansion demonstrated that the Ozzfest brand had developed into something larger than a U.S. touring event.

Ozzfest Meets Knotfest

In 2016, Ozzfest joined forces with Slipknot’s Knotfest for a major two-day event in San Bernardino, California.

The Ozzfest day featured Black Sabbath, Disturbed, Megadeth, Opeth, Black Label Society and other acts.

Knotfest followed with Slipknot, Slayer, Amon Amarth, Anthrax and Trivium among its major performers.

The collaboration returned in 2017.

That year’s Ozzfest lineup included Ozzy Osbourne, Prophets of Rage, Deftones, Children of Bodom and Orange Goblin, while the Knotfest portion featured Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Stone Sour among its performers.

Ozzfest 2018: The Last U.S. Edition

The final U.S. Ozzfest took place on December 31, 2018, at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Rather than being a traditional summer touring festival, it was a special New Year’s Eve event.

Ozzy Osbourne closed the night and helped ring in the New Year.

The lineup included:

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Rob Zombie
• Marilyn Manson
• Jonathan Davis
• Body Count featuring Ice-T
• Zakk Sabbath
• DevilDriver
• Wednesday 13

The event was promoted as a special one-night Ozzfest celebration and featured two stages.

For many fans, it became the final chapter of the traditional Ozzfest era.

The Biggest Bands to Play Ozzfest

Over more than two decades, Ozzfest hosted an enormous range of rock and metal artists.

Some of the most recognizable names associated with the festival include:

• Black Sabbath
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Slayer
• Pantera
• Tool
• Metallica
• Iron Maiden
• Judas Priest
• Megadeth
• Korn
• Slipknot
• System of a Down
• Deftones
• Marilyn Manson
• Rob Zombie
• Disturbed
• Lamb of God
• Avenged Sevenfold
• Limp Bizkit
• Fear Factory
• Soulfly
• Mastodon
• Killswitch Engage

The festival’s history is therefore much larger than Ozzy Osbourne’s own performances.

Ozzfest became a place where established legends and emerging bands could appear on the same bill.

What Happened to Ozzfest After 2018?

After the 2018 New Year’s Eve event, there was no comparable annual U.S. Ozzfest tour.

There were later Ozzfest-related developments, including the virtual OzzFest announced in 2022, but the traditional festival format remained absent from the U.S. live-event calendar.

That made the 2027 announcement particularly significant for longtime Ozzfest fans.

What Could Ozzfest 2027 Look Like?

At this stage, there is no confirmed 2027 lineup to analyze.

That is important because plenty of familiar Ozzfest names could naturally become subjects of fan speculation, but speculation should not be confused with an official announcement.

The confirmed information is that Ozzfest will return to the United States in 2027, with additional details to come.

The festival’s history gives fans plenty of reasons to watch the announcement closely.

Over the years, Ozzfest has featured everything from classic heavy metal pioneers to some of the biggest modern metal and hard-rock bands.

The eventual 2027 lineup will reveal which direction the festival takes in its next era.

Ozzfest 2027: A New Chapter

Ozzfest began in 1996 as a festival built around heavy music and Ozzy Osbourne’s name.

More than three decades later, its return represents a continuation of that legacy.

From Slayer and Sepultura in the early days to Tool, Pantera, Slipknot, System of a Down, Korn, Iron Maiden and Metallica, Ozzfest has spent years connecting different generations of heavy music.

The 2018 New Year’s Eve event appeared to close the book on the traditional U.S. festival era.

Now, Ozzfest 2027 is set to open another chapter.

The lineup, U.S. location and full festival details are still to come.

But one thing is already confirmed:

Ozzfest is coming back.

If you’re also looking ahead to other major rock festivals, check out our Rock am Ring 2027 Lineup: Huge Names, blink-182, Bring Me The Horizon & More for the latest lineup details and confirmed acts.