A HEARTFELT TRIBUTE: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS AND 49 WINCHESTER HONOR THE LATE, GREAT OZZY OSBOURNE WITH A SOUL-STIRRING COVER OF BLACK SABBATH’S “CHANGES” — A CROSS-GENRE SALUTE TO A LEGEND WHO REDEFINED ROCK FOREVER
In a moment that sent waves through the entire music world, Red Hot Chili Peppers and 49 Winchester have come together for one of the most emotionally charged collaborations of the decade — a stunning, deeply heartfelt rendition of Black Sabbath’s timeless ballad “Changes,” honoring the late, great Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away earlier this year.
The release dropped unexpectedly at midnight across all major streaming platforms, accompanied by a black-and-white music video that instantly struck a chord with fans around the globe. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the video blends archival footage of Ozzy’s monumental career with raw, studio shots of the Peppers and 49 Winchester recording the track together — a powerful blend of old-school rock spirit and Americana soul.
From the first haunting notes of Josh Klinghoffer’s piano intro to Anthony Kiedis’s gravelly, reflective vocals, the song feels like both a eulogy and a celebration. Flea’s bass lines hum with a melancholy pulse, while Chad Smith’s restrained percussion anchors the emotion with steady grace. Then, seamlessly, Isaac Gibson, frontman of 49 Winchester, enters with a smoky, country-tinged tone that adds a new dimension to the classic — bridging the worlds of psychedelic funk rock and Appalachian roots.
> “Ozzy wasn’t just a singer — he was a spirit,” Kiedis shared in a press statement. “He gave generations of misfits a reason to believe in themselves. Covering ‘Changes’ felt like talking to him one last time.”
49 Winchester’s Gibson echoed that sentiment:
> “We grew up on Sabbath. Their music taught us honesty — the kind that bleeds through every note. Teaming up with the Chili Peppers for this was beyond surreal. It’s a love letter to Ozzy, plain and simple.”
The collaboration reportedly came together in early 2025, just weeks after Osbourne’s passing. Sources close to the bands revealed that Flea personally reached out to 49 Winchester after seeing their emotional cover of “War Pigs” during a small club show in Nashville. The mutual respect between the two acts quickly evolved into what both describe as “an organic and cathartic creative process.”
Recorded at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios in Malibu — the same place where the Chili Peppers recorded Stadium Arcadium — the session was said to be filled with candlelight, vintage Sabbath vinyls, and moments of quiet reflection. According to Rubin, who co-produced the track, there was a palpable sense that Ozzy’s energy was “in the room.”
> “They didn’t want to make it bigger,” Rubin explained. “They wanted to make it truer. Every take was soaked in emotion. You could see tears. You could feel gratitude. That’s what makes this version so special.”
The song’s accompanying visuals close with a simple, poignant image: Ozzy on stage at Madison Square Garden, raising his arms to the roaring crowd — followed by the message “Forever the Prince of Darkness.”
Within hours of release, “Changes (Ozzy Tribute)” climbed to the top of iTunes’ Rock chart and hit over 10 million views on YouTube. Fans flooded social media with emotional reactions, calling the performance “a spiritual experience,” “the perfect goodbye,” and “proof that music truly never dies.”
Even artists from across genres — from Dave Grohl to Post Malone — shared the song with tributes of their own. Grohl wrote:
> “This cover broke me in the best way. Ozzy’s spirit lives on through every note.”
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have hinted that this won’t be the end of their tributes. Rumors are already swirling about a full tribute album featuring collaborations with artists such as Jack White, Billie Eilish, and Metallica’s James Hetfield — each reimagining a piece of Ozzy’s legendary catalog.
But for now, “Changes” stands on its own as a heartfelt memorial — a reminder that even as legends pass on, their echoes continue to guide generations of musicians and fans alike.
As Kiedis said during a private listening session in Los Angeles:
> “We didn’t just cover Ozzy. We honored the feeling he gave the world — that even in chaos, there’s beauty, there’s music, there’s change.”
“Changes (Ozzy Tribute)” is available now on all platforms — a timeless farewell to the man who taught the world to embrace the madness and sing through the pain.
