McCollum Family vs. Ozzy Osbourne – Infamous Rock Lawsuits

In October 1984, 19-year-old John McCollum committed suicide in his bedroom in Indio, Calif. While it was quickly determined that the gun shot wound was self-inflicted, the family didn't feel their son was solely at fault, as it was discovered that McCollum had been listening to the Ozzy Osbourne song 'Suicide Solution' off the 'Blizzard of Ozz' album at the time of his death.

The McCollum family filed suit against Osbourne and his record company, claiming the song had hidden lyrics that encouraged the suicide. Osbourne responded that there were no hidden lyrics and that the song was actually an anti-suicide track. The case went on for several years, but the family's legal team was unable to prove the lyrics incited the action and by 1988 the judge dismissed the lawsuit against Osbourne.