The Prince of Darkness Lit the Flame — Heavy Metal Keeps It Burning

“Metal Never Dies: Ghost, Gen Z, and the Rise of a Loud New Era”

Mark Kelehan spent decades with Ozzy Osbourne, KISS, and Metallica blasting through his speakers — until adult life took over. Now 50, the father of four found himself pulled back into heavy music by an unlikely force: a satanic pope from Sweden.

Enter Ghost, the theatrical metal band led by Tobias Forge (aka Papa Emeritus, currently Papa V Perpetua), whose arena rituals have become spiritual awakenings for a new generation. Fans dressed as demonic nuns and masked clergy are packing stadiums, moshing to riff-heavy anthems that feel both familiar and fresh.

Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance earlier this month in Birmingham drew tens of thousands. Forge was among the tribute lineup. Just two weeks later, Ozzy passed. But what happened next proves something bigger: heavy metal isn’t just surviving — it’s dominating.

Streaming of hard rock is up over 12% this year in the U.S., outpacing the entire market. Gen Z fans are diving into Korn, Slipknot, and Deftones, while longtime fans now have the cash to chase the nostalgia. Ghost’s “Mary on a Cross” went viral on TikTok, becoming the band’s most-streamed track and pushing them to sold-out arenas like Madison Square Garden — where last week, Forge dedicated the show to Ozzy himself.

----- "For someone known as the Prince of Darkness, he gave the world so much light," he said. "Tonight, we tap into that light — and carry it forward through whatever darkness lies ahead." ------

Live Nation says hard-rock shows are up 14% year-over-year. System of a Down just sold more than 60,000 tickets in each major city they touched.

The message? The riffs are louder. The crowds are younger. Metal lives.