Yesterday, the music world lost one of its pillars with the death of Ozzy Osbourne. In his tenure as the founding frontman for Black Sabbath and his solo career, the singer and songwriter guided the development of a titanic subculture by possessing the hardest-hitting strains of rock with grim themes and his unmistakable howl, earning widespread reverence and household recognition as the godfather of heavy metal. The Prince of Darkness was 76.

Since his departure, artists and fans from across genres and generations have offered expressions of their reverence and indebtedness to Osbourne in live tributes and thoughtful messages. Among the first to comment were Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, his bandmates in Black Sabbath. Though their ride to superstardom together in the ‘70s was tumultuous and led to fractures in their relationships, the artists reconciled in recent years and reunited onstage several times, most recently on July 7 at Back to the Beginning, Osbourne’s festival-size farewell performance in their shared hometown of Birmingham, which was the original lineup’s first reunion since Ozzfest 2005.

“I just can’t believe it! My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park,” Iommi wrote. “It’s just such heartbreaking news that I can’t really find the words, there won’t ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother. My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family. Rest in peace Oz.”

“Goodbye dear friend- thanks for all those years- we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston- who’d have thought, eh?,” Butler wrote. “So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.”

“Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart,” Ward wrote. “Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP. Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever.”

Osbourne’s music and memory roared again from the stage last night as many devotees mentioned their admiration for the artist and worked special tributes into their performances. Primus set off their Bridgeport, Conn. staging with a version of “Those Damn Blue Collar Tweakers” extended with a lengthy tease of “Crazy Train” as images of Ozzy looped in the background. Dave Matthews told his audience in Gilford, N.H., “As time passes, we always end up losing some of our heroes. I’m going to do my best on this one,” then launched into a solo acoustic debut cover of Black Sabbath’s “Changes.” In a testament to his influence outside rock, both Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper played recordings of “Crazy Train” during their shows.

Some of the most poignant remembrances have come from the metal icons who knew Osbourne closely and now carry on the mantle of his immortal sound. “The whole world is mourning Ozzy tonight,” Alice Cooper said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Over his long career, he earned immense respect among his peers and from fans around the world as an unmatched showman and cultural icon. I always saw Ozzy as a cross between the prince of darkness, which is the persona his fans saw, and the court jester.”

“Our hearts are broken like millions around the world – words can’t express the love and loss we are all feeling,” Judas Priest shared with THR. Sharon – may God surround you and your beautiful family with love, peace, and light. Ozzy – you will never leave us. Your music is eternal. God blesses you now more than ever, after you blessed us all through your magnificent life.”

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons looked back on 50 years of friendship with Osbourne in an interview with BBC Breakfast, speaking to his personal relationship with the star and shock at his passing. “Most of the fans will know Ozzy as the Prince of Darkness, and if you were lucky enough to meet Ozzy as a human being off stage, you’d be shocked because he treated people exactly the same way,” he said. “It’s fair to say that there was never an Ozzy Osbourne before Ozzy, and there never will be another Ozzy. In science, they call it a singularity. He’s just a unique and lovable person.”

Osbourne was also honored with tribute posts from Billy Strings, Elton John, T-Pain, Flavor Flav, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pat Boone, Duran Duran, Jack White, Billy Idol, Tom Morello, Kermit the Frog, Pearl Jam, Ice T, Ronnie Wood, Mike McCready, Billie Joe Armstrong, Questlove, Robert Plant, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe and more. See those below.

Read Osbourne’s full obituary here.