Here are the moments when 15 major rock and metal bands played their final shows not for a live audience.
The circumstances leading to these final performances vary.
Black Sabbath, for instance, was aware it was the end. Similarly, Sum 41 informed fans well in advance that their 2025 show in Toronto would be their last.
READ MORE: The Most Played Cover Song by 65 Big Rock + Metal Bands
Then there are instances where the “end of the road” arrived unexpectedly. An on-stage altercation during a 2024 show abruptly ended Jane’s Addiction’s performance before they could finish their set.
From emotional farewells to unforeseen exits, these are the final songs from 15 notable rock and metal bands that ceased touring.
Black Sabbath, ‘Paranoid’
Date: July 5, 2025
Venue: Villa Park
City: Birmingham, England
Black Sabbath announced their disbandment in 2017, and Ozzy Osbourne later expressed in interviews that he had no desire to reform the band. They performed one last show together as part of the daylong Back to the Beginning concert celebrating both the band and Osbourne in 2025.
Jane’s Addiction, ‘Ocean Size’ (partial)
Date: Sept. 13, 2024
Venue: Leader Bank Pavilion
City: Boston
The infamous incident during the 2024 Boston show led to Perry Farrell and the rest of Jane’s Addiction suing each other. Ultimately, everyone settled out of court and reportedly reconciled. Despite this reconciliation, the band has no plans to continue.
KISS (In Makeup), ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’
Date: Dec. 2, 2023
Venue: Madison Square Garden
City: New York
This marked the last KISS show featuring band members in makeup. The final song was followed by avatar versions of KISS performing “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.” KISS has since performed without makeup, with their most recent appearance being at the KISS Kruise Landlocked in Las Vegas on Nov. 15, 2025.
Led Zeppelin (with John Bonham), ‘Whole Lotta Love’
Date: July 7, 1980
Venue: Eissporthalle
City: Berlin, Germany
Drummer John Bonham passed away less than three months later on Sept. 25, 1980, at the age of 32. The surviving members of Led Zeppelin last performed at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert on Dec. 10, 2007, with Jason Bonham on drums.
Motorhead, ‘Overkill’
Date: Dec. 11, 2015
Venue: Max-Schmeling-Halle
City: Berlin, Germany
The second leg of Motorhead’s 40th anniversary tour in 2015 was initially supposed to conclude on Dec. 6. However, a pair of rescheduled shows in Germany pushed the leg’s conclusion to Dec. 11.
A third leg of the tour was scheduled to begin the following month. Lemmy passed away four days after his birthday on Dec. 28 after battling several health issues, including prostate cancer and congestive heart failure.
Nirvana (with Kurt Cobain), ‘Heart-Shaped Box’
Date: March 1, 1994
Venue: Terminal 1 Flughafen München
City: Munich, Germany
After the show, Kurt Cobain reportedly fell ill. According to People, Nirvana’s remaining European tour dates for 1994 were canceled following Cobain’s illness and subsequent suicide attempt.
A month later, Cobain’s body was discovered by an electrician at his home in Seattle. He was just 27 years old.
The remaining members of Nirvana last performed together in New York on April 10, 2014, with guest singers including Joan Jett, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., St. Vincent, and Kim Gordon.
NOFX, ‘The Decline’
Date: Oct. 6, 2024
Venue:
Berth
46
City:
San Pedro,
California
Following NOFX’s final show,
Fat Mike Burkett informed a live audience during a solo performance that he was being sued by guitarist Eric Melvin.
The band appeared without Melvin during a premiere of a documentary about their breakup,
where they further discussed the alleged lawsuit.
Months later,
Melvin issued a statement claiming he never sued Burkett.
Ozzy Osbourne,
‘Crazy Train’
Date:
July
5,
2025
Venue:
Villa Park
City:
Birmingham,
England
“Crazy Train” closed Ozzy Osbourne’s five-song solo set during Back to the Beginning.
He then performed an additional four songs with the three other founding members of Black Sabbath to conclude the show.
Osbourne passed away just 17 days later at his home in Buckinghamshire at age
76.
Rage Against the Machine,
‘Killing in the Name’
Date:
Aug.
14,
2022
Venue:
Madison Square Garden
City:
New York
Two shows into their reunion tour in
2022,
vocalist Zach de la Rocha suffered a severe leg injury that left only eight percent of his Achilles tendon intact.
He continued performing with the band while seated throughout their remaining U.S.
dates.
A subsequent European tour was canceled along with a North American tour scheduled for
2023.
Guitarist Tom Morello was the only member present at Rage Against the Machine’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
2023.
Drummer Brad Wilk later confirmed that RATM would no longer tour or record new music.
Soundgarden (with Chris Cornell),
‘Slaves and Bulldozers’
Date:
May
17,
2017
Venue:
Fox Theatre
City:
Detroit
Soundgarden’s final song also included a refrain from “In My Time of Dying.”
After the show,
Chris Cornell entered his hotel room at MGM Grand in Detroit,
where he was later found dead.
His death was ruled a suicide at age
52.
The surviving members of Soundgarden have performed live several times since Cornell’s death,
most recently joining Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless during halftime of the Seattle Seahawks’ season opener in
2026.
Sum 41,
‘Welcome to Hell’
Date:
Jan.
30,
2025
Venue:
Scotiabank Arena
City:
Toronto
Sum 41 disbanded at what Deryck Whibley considered a “high point” for the band after experiencing several lows.
During an episode of Artist Friendly with Joel Madden,
Whibley stated he had reached a point where he could rebuild the band after hitting what he viewed as a low point in their careers.
“I felt something inside me saying ‘It’s time; you’re ready for something else,’ even though I don’t know what that is yet.”
Type O Negative,
‘Black No.1’
Date:
Oct.
31,
2009
Venue:
Harpos
City:
Detroit
Type O Negative concluded their tour in Detroit on Halloween night.
At that time,
no one realized this would be their final performance.
A message on Type O Negative’s website on April
15,
2010 informed fans that vocalist/bassist Peter Steele had died while working on new music for their upcoming album.
It was later determined that Steele had died from sepsis caused by diverticulitis at age
48.
Van Halen,
‘Jump’
Date:
Oct.
4,
2015
Venue:
Hollywood Bowl
City:
Los Angeles
Van Halen embarked on a North American tour in
2015 following their live album release.
The tour concluded with two hometown shows at Hollywood Bowl.
The band remained relatively quiet in subsequent years as guitarist Eddie Van Halen faced escalating health issues including cancer.
He passed away almost five years after their final show on Oct.
6,
2020.
Velvet Revolver,
‘Wish You Were Here’ (Pink Floyd cover)
Date:
Jan.
12,
2012
Venue:
House of Blues (Love You Madly benefit concert for John O’Brien)
City:
West Hollywood,
California
Scott Weiland departed from his role as vocalist for Velvet Revolver in
2008 after contentious moments onstage with his bandmates.
Four years later,
the band reunited with Weiland for a benefit concert honoring late composer John O’Brien.
The four-song set concluded with Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”
This reunion turned out to be just for that night as Velvet Revolver continued searching for a new lead singer afterward.
Weiland died from an accidental overdose while touring in
2015 at age
48.
The White Stripes,
‘Boll Weevil’
Date:
July
31,
2007
Venue:
Snowden Grove Amphitheater
City:
Southaven,
Mississippi
Initially believed to be not only The White Stripes’ final concert but also their last public appearance together,
this Southaven show turned out to be just that—though they did perform together one last time less than two years later.
The White Stripes’ last official performance occurred during the final episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien on Feb.
20,
2009 when they played “We’re Going to Be Friends.”
Keep reading for a deeper dive into these bands’ final setlists and others who said goodbye.
The Setlist For 29 Big Rock + Metal Bands’ Final Show
