The backlash surrounding Yungblud’s role in the star-studded Ozzy Osbourne tribute at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards has drawn yet another response—this time from DISTURBED frontman David Draiman.
Following sharp comments from THE DARKNESS guitarist Dan Hawkins, who branded the performers as “a bunch of bell ends” and called the tribute “cynical” and “s**t,” Draiman took to X to stand firmly in Yungblud’s corner.
“Guys… With all due respect. @yungblud isn’t POSITIONING himself as ANYTHING,” Draiman wrote. “He’s a talented young artist who was tasked/asked to do an impossible job. To please everyone while tributing his idol @OzzyOsbourne. He did great. Leave him be.”
Draiman’s words pushed back against accusations that Yungblud was a “poseur” or simply chasing the spotlight. Instead, he emphasized that the young musician was put in a high-pressure, no-win situation—delivering a tribute to one of heavy metal’s most influential figures in front of a global audience where every move would be scrutinized.
The VMAs performance, which featured Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Nuno Bettencourt, and Yungblud running through a medley of Osbourne classics, was introduced with a heartfelt video message from Ozzy’s son Jack and his daughters. While many fans saw it as a celebration of Ozzy’s legacy, others questioned Yungblud’s presence in such a lineup of rock veterans.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.