We humbly request that a royal honour is bestowed on the Black Sabbath rock group, who were formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne.

They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre with releases such as Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970), and Master of Reality (1971).

Following the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, which took place in Birmingham Perry Barr constituency, there have been requests from all over the city that Black Sabbath be recognised for its services to music and to the City of Birmingham. For all their global fame, they have kept strong links with Birmingham, demonstrated by their barnstorming surprise performance at the closing ceremony of Commonwealth Games, which was closed by His Royal Highness Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex.

We feel that this extraordinary occasion deserves extraordinary recognition of this extraordinary group of musicians. The band’s services to music seem to have been overlooked by the usual process.

We therefore seek direct intervention and support from Your Majesty to recognise the great contribution made by these fine and ground-breaking musicians, who were made in Birmingham and who have once again not just entertained Birmingham, the United Kingdom and the whole of the Commonwealth but perhaps the world.

Supported by:

Khalid Mahmood MP

Gary Sandbrook MP

Preet Gill MP

Andrew Mitchell MP

Jess Phillips MP

Liam Byrne MP

Shabana Mahmood MP

Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council 

Brigid Jones, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council