Yungblud Calls The Darkness Gatekeepers After Their VMAs Ozzy Tribute Critique
He portrays their backlash as exclusionary gatekeeping, pointing to his invitation from Ozzy Osbourne’s family to perform the tribute.
Overview
- Yungblud told Billboard the criticism came from “people that were trying to be doormen at a party that they weren’t invited to,” doubling down on earlier pushback.
- Dan and Justin Hawkins condemned his September VMAs performance with Aerosmith and Nuno Bettencourt, labeling it “another nail in the coffin of rock ’n’ roll” and “posturing.”
- Justin Hawkins later said there was no intent to start a feud and cited skepticism over real-time pitch correction and Yungblud’s theatrical background.
- PerthNow and podcast comments referenced by NME note that Osbourne’s family asked Yungblud to honor the late metal icon, which supporters cite as legitimizing the tribute.
- Coverage from NME and VICE frames the exchange as a broader fight over rock authenticity, generational change and who gets to steward Ozzy’s legacy.