Five of classic rock’s most beloved artists said farewell to the concert stage in 2025. Here are the stories of their final shows:
The Who
Nearly four and a half decades after the final show of their first ‘last tour,” the Who brought their 2025 ‘The Song is Over’ farewell tour to its conclusion with an Oct.1 show at the Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms, California. The band had previously declared that they would not bring this tour to the UK or Europe due to the difficulties of touring in those countries.
“I suppose, you know, it’s goodbye,” guitarist Pete Townshend said near the end of the show. “To what we know as the Who, it’s goodbye.” He left the door slightly ajar for future collaborations with the band’s only other surviving founding member, singer Roger Daltrey, while insisting, “But for this kind of thing, it’s goodbye. And you were last!*”
(*Two days later, the Who headlined a private charity concert together.)
Watch the Last Show of the Who’s ‘The Song is Over’ Farewell Tour
Jeff Lynne / Electric Light Orchestra
After successfully completing the 31-date 2024 North American leg of their ‘Over and Out’ farewell tour, Jeff Lynne’s ELO were forced to cancel the last two shows of their planned final five-date 2025 tour of England.
Lynne was unable to play guitar at the opening July 5 show of the 2025 tour due to a broken left hand, but the group rallied to complete the first three shows before an unspecified illness suffered by Lynne forced them to cancel a July 10 show in Manchester, and then their planned July 13 finale in London.
“I am now at home recovering,” Lynne wrote a few days later. “I was absolutely gutted to have to cancel the final two shows. I send my heartfelt thanks to all of the fans as well as my band and crew for all their support and love.”
Watch Jeff Lynne’s ELO Perform Their Final Show
Ozzy Osbourne / Black Sabbath
After being forced to repeatedly postpone, then cancel his solo farewell tour after a New Year’s Eve 2018 show, Ozzy Osbourne endured seven years of injury and illness-related setbacks, all the while insisting he would return to say farewell to live performing on his own terms.
He finally accomplished this hard-fought goal with the star-studded Back to the Beginning show on July 5, 2025. After a galaxy of hard rock and metal stars paid tribute by covering Osbourne and Black Sabbath songs, the guest of honor closed out the massive, live-streamed show with a solo set and then one final performance alongside founding Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.
It turned out that Osbourne gave his fans everything he had that night. Less than three weeks later, he died at age 76. His death would also seem to put an end to the remote chance of any further activity under the Black Sabbath banner. Osbourne, Butler and Iommi concluded their own farewell tour in 2017, and Iommi has not performed under that name without Osbourne as their singer since 1995.
Watch Ozzy Osbourne’s Final Show
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David Coverdale / Whitesnake
More than three years after Whitesnake‘s farewell tour got derailed by a series of illnesses affecting him and his bandmates, in November 2025 David Coverdale announced his retirement.
The group’s last performance was June 23, 2022 at the Hellfest festival in France. Former Whitesnake guitarist Steve Vai joined for a show-closing performance of “Still of the Night.”
Since the 2022 tour was cut short, Coverdale has been warning fans that he wasn’t sure if or when he would be able to attempt a comeback. “It’s a very physically challenging thing for me to do at the best of times,” the then-70-year-old declared while explaining the cancellations.
Three years later, he decided the time had arrived. “After 50 years-plus of an incredible journey with you — with Deep Purple, with Whitesnake, Jimmy Page — the last few years it has been very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock ‘n’ roll platform shoes and my skintight jeans,” Coverdale said in his November 2025 announcement.
“But it’s time for me to call it a day. I love you dearly. I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey: all the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It’s amazing. But it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement, and I hope you can appreciate that.”
Watch Whitesnake’s Last Show
Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley proudly maintained a busy recording and performance schedule over the past two decades. He toured steadily and his 2024 album 10,000 Volts was his fifth full-length release in a decade, with another (Origins, Vol. 3) already in the works.
But six weeks after playing what unexpectedly turned out to be his final concert on Sept. 5, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island, Frehley died on Oct. 16 at age 74 from injuries stemming from a fall at his home studio.
One silver lining: Although he was ultimately presented the honor posthumously, in August Frehley was thrilled to learn that he and his former founding Kiss bandmates had been chosen for the Kennedy Center Honors award. Frehley called it “a dream come true that I never thought would materialize.”
Watch Ace Frehley’s Final Performance
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Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
