Seems like all good things must come to an end. Black Sabbath announced Tuesday, March 7, that they will be retiring the band after almost half a century of playing together.
According to the New York Daily News, the information was couched in a pretend obituary the band posted on social media. The obituary read, "Black Sabbath: 1968-2017" followed by the hashtag #TheEnd.
The announcement comes on the heels of their final show in Birmingham last month and the release of their final album, The End, which includes live recordings and four unreleased tracks from the "13" recording sessions.
Formed in Birmingham in 1968, the band originally consisted of singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward (who was later replaced by Tommy Clufetos). During their entire career spanning 49 years, they've released 19 albums and were most famous for their classic hits, namely "Paranoid" and "War Pigs." They were also well-known for pioneering the heavy metal sound that subsequent metal bands have emulated and built off of in their music. In that instance, they were considered the first official heavy metal band.
So far, fans have taken to social media to express their sadness in the wake of the band's announcement. But, even though they're retiring, the legend of this influential band will live on for years to come.