Rod Stewart Faces Backlash for AI Tribute to Ozzy, Deceased Musicians

Rod Stewart's recent in-concert tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, involving an AI-generated video showing Osbourne taking selfies with other deceased music legends like Prince, Freddie Mercury, and Amy Winehouse, has sparked widespread backlash for being tasteless and disrespectful. The video, shown while Stewart performed "Forever Young," was criticized for depicting the late stars with selfie sticks in a heaven-like setting shortly after Osbourne's death, which many fans and social media users found insensitive and premature. Stewart's comment during a show that many of the featured musicians died due to drugs further fueled the controversy. While some attendees considered the tribute heartfelt, most reactions described it as tacky, bizarre, and offensive, with comparisons made to using AI to exploit deceased individuals without consent. Despite Stewart's earlier Instagram farewell to Osbourne, the AI tribute video has overshadowed the intended homage, leading to significant criticism from fans and observers alike. Stewart's representatives have yet to comment on the backlash.