In news that has crushed our hearts like a plastic cup inside a wall of death, Download Festival Australia has just lost its 2019 headliner.

Organisers have just confirmed that Ozzy Osbourne has been forced to pull the plug on his Aussie tour plans due to health issues.

In a statement to Music Feeds, the headbangers-in-chief at Download Australia say that due to health issues the Prince Of Darkness will not be headlining the Sydney and Melbourne events in just under a month’s time.

“We are extremely disappointed to have to bring this news to you,” say festival organisers in a statement. “However it should go without saying, Ozzy’s health and wellbeing is number one. We wish Ozzy all the best in his recovery and hope he is back to full health as soon as possible.

“It is impossible to replace Ozzy Osbourne at any time, but three weeks out from Download there is no chance of us securing an act to replace the headline slot.”

Instead, the festival has recruited Australian rockers, Warrnambool’s own Airbourne who will be joining the Download Australia lineup just three weeks out.

In light of their headliner’s cancellation, Download Australia is offering all current ticket holders a merchandise voucher to the value of $45 plus postage and handling available here from 9am AEDT Monday 4 March 2019. Ticket holders must enter their ticket number to redeem the voucher. This voucher is only redeemable online and cannot be redeemed at the event.

Alternatively, refunds will be available now until Midnight AEDT Sunday 24 February 2019. To request a refund, you’ll need to get in touch with the Ticketmaster Customer Service Team here. Please select the “Refund/Exchange” topic and complete all required fields of the form.

Today’s cancellation comes after organisers of the Japanese instalment of Download — which is set go down two weeks after ours — confirmed earlier today that Ozzy had already axed his headlining slot there.

“Ozzy recently developed pneumonia and has spent some time in hospital. Thankfully he is now through the worst part, his doctors have advised that he stay at home to recuperate for a full six weeks with no travel,” says Sharon Osbourne.

Back in October, the metal legend revealed that he’d been battling a potentially deadly staph infection, which led him to cancel a bunch of shows around that time.

He was again hospitalised earlier this year due to complications from the flu, prompting the cancellation of more tour dates. Just last week on TV show The Talk, Sharon Osbourne said Ozzy was “out of ICU” and “breathing on his own.”

Meanwhile, there’s still plenty for Aussie metalheads to get excited about on the 2019 Download lineup, with the likes of Slayer, Rise Against, Ghost, Alice In Chains, Judas Priest, Halestorm and more legends swooping in from OS, while The Amity Affliction, High Tension, Luca Brasi, Polaris and many more will be repping for the locals.

Californian outfit New Years Day recently got called up to replace Andy Black on the lineup too, after the Black Veil Bride pulled out due to “scheduling conflicts”.

Download Festival is set to go down across one weekend in March, with Sydney’s date being on Saturday 9th March and Melbourne having their event on the long weekend Monday, 11th March.

According to the festival, new set times are incoming.

Download Festival 2019 Lineup

AIRBOURNE

Joining…

JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED

AVERSIONS CROWN

DEVILSKIN

EAT YOUR HEART OUT

THE BEAUTIFUL MONUMENT

Joining…

NEW YEARS DAY

Joining…

SUM 41 (Only Aus Shows)

PENNYWISE (Only Aus Shows)

THY ART IS MURDER

TWELVE FOOT NINJA

SLAVES

VOYAGER

Joining…

POLARIS

Joining…

OZZY OSBOURNE

SLAYER

JUDAS PRIEST (Only Aus Shows)

ALICE IN CHAINS

GHOST

RISE AGAINST

THE AMITY AFFLICTION (Only Aus Shows)

ANTHRAX

HALESTORM (Only Aus Shows)

BEHEMOTH

ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES

I PREVAIL

CONVERGE

FRENZAL RHOMB

LUCA BRASI

CODE ORANGE

ANDY BLACK

THE FEVER 333

WAR ON WOMEN

HIGH TENSION

OUTRIGHT

RUINS

ALIEN WEAPONRY

+ triple J Unearthed acts TBA

Download Festival 2019

Tickets on sale now

Saturday, 9th March

Parramatta Park, Sydney (18+)

Tickets: Official Website

Monday, 11th March (long weekend)

Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne (18+)

Tickets: Official Website