The world might be a bit of a s**tshow right now, but we might get Ozzfest back! Obviously, it’s not a done deal, or anything yet, but Sharon Osbourne says she’s been in talks to bring the epic metal festival back.
I’ll say this: the prospect alone is enough to get me super excited. Especially considering that Sharon pointed out a plan to mix it up and not do the same thing they did with the original festivals. So what might that look like?
Well, the original Ozzfest featured its namesake, the late Ozzy Osbourne, as a headliner on most runs. Either solo or with his legendary metal band, Black Sabbath. Other big names to top the bill included Judas Priest, Slayer, Pantera, Slipknot, System of a Down, Korn, and Rob Zombie.
So who should be positioned to headline now that Ozzy has passed and Black Sabbath has officially retired? Why don’t we get some obvious ones out of the way?
Slipknot, Lamb of God, Deftones, and Avenged Sevenfold
Here’s the deal: Slipknot and Lamb of God have both served as direct support to Ozzy/Sabbath on Ozzfests in the past. Both Deftones and Avenged Sevenfold have played feature slots on the main stage.
All four of these bands have strong careers and dedicated fanbases. They’ve all also maintained a lot of respect among the metal community and would draw giant crowds. Any or all of them would be excellent choices for headliners or feature acts.
Now that that’s out of the way… Let’s talk about some possible headliner choices that you oldheads are probably going to argue with me about, but I’m right…
Knocked Loose
Kentucky’s own hardcore virtuosos have been rising stars for the past few years. This is thanks to a few things. Their 2021 EP, A Tear in the Fabric of Life; their third album, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (2024); and their Grammy-nominated collaboration with Poppy, “Suffocate.”
They have sold out headline shows across the globe, and this year they will support Metallica on the European leg of their M27 tour. While it might be a bit of a sell… I feel strongly that Knocked Loose makes so much sense as an Ozzfest headliner.
Ghost
This one splits many people, I feel, because there are many old metalheads who dig Ghost. There are also a lot of younger metal fans who dig Ghost. It’s those contentious mid-generation groups who give them crap for the masked gimmick and not being “metal enough.”
I heard someone refer to them, and I’m paraphrasing, as “the Satanic Beach Boys,” and I legit cannot see the insult there.
Ghost is, on a global scale, a massively popular band. They even recently kicked off yet another arena tour here in North America. If you locked in an Ozzfest lineup with them as a headliner, no doubt it would draw big crowds.
And while we’re on the topic of divisive occult, masked bands…
Sleep Token
I sincerely do not believe there is a modern band more controversial in the metal scene than Sleep Token. I chalk it up to purists and gatekeepers just being desperate for something to hate.
Last fall, they completed a sold-out area tour across the nation, and I actually was able to catch their Portland, OR show. It was an incredible offering of heavy music and grand theatrics, similar to seeing Iron Maiden or Alice Cooper.
You might hate the idea, and you’re entitled to your wrong opinion, but Sleep Token are unquestionably Ozzfest headliner material.
Turnstile
Last and certainly not least, we have Turnstile. These Baltimore hardcore kids have grown up and evolved into a massive force in heavy music. They’re selling out tours and are even nominated in four different categories at the 2026 Grammys.
The band’s 2025 album, Never Enough, has been widely acclaimed by both critics and fans. They even have some famous fans in heavy metal greats such as Metallica’s James Hetfield and Judas Priest’s Rob Halford.
Hardcore is much more accessible and mainstream today, partly because of Turnstile. Which, again, crybaby gatekeepers love to complain about because they seem to believe that more people liking a genre is bad for it. (I tend to disagree.)
Ultimately, Turnstile is making moves that many people thought could never happen for hardcore music, and that makes them prime for an Ozzfest headliner set.
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