Black Sabbath didn't set out to become a cultural British legend, of course. Does any band? That would be a weird goal. Instead, the band wanted to make great heavy rock, and that they did.
Honors have followed over the last five decades, and the latest is guitarist Tony Iommi being awarded as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) during King Charles' official birthday celebration. The honor was given for outstanding service in fields including science, public service, charity, or the arts.
Iommi is far more than just an iconic guitarist. He has spent years doing charitable work, especially helping cancer patients. Iommi also has survived a cancer battle, so he understands well what a person must go through on the road to (hopefully) recovery.
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi bestowed with Member of the Order of the British Empire
The guitarist hasn't been knighted yet, though. He cannot be called, officially, "Sir," though he is clearly on track to be so. One might wonder what a young Iommi, or former fellow bandmate Ozzy Osbourne, would have thought about the musician's prospects of being a knight one day.
Iommi is the only Black Sabbath member to have played on all of the band's albums. He helped form the group in Birmingham in 1968, along with Ozzy, drummer Bill Ward, and bassist Geezer Butler. The foursome did play the band's final concert in 2025, which was the Back to the Beginning show that was so well-received.
Unfortunately, less than three weeks after the performance, Ozzy Osbourne died from long-term health issues. Before the concert, Black Sabbath had not performed with any lineup since 2017. Obviously, the band has no future plans to perform, even with a different lead singer.
Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, one of the few true heavy metal bands to receive the honor, especially at the time. They, along with Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, were part of what was known as the "unholy trinity."
Other people to receive the Member of the Order of the British Empire at the ceremony that gave Iommi his honor were rugby star Kevin Sinfield and actress Dame Helen Mirren. Sinfield was also knighted, while Mirren was honored with the Companion of Honor, for her work in drama.
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