Tubular Bells II  by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells II is the fifteenth studio album by British musician Mike Oldfield, which was released on August 31, 1992. It serves as a sequel to his iconic debut, Tubular Bells (1973), and marked a new era for the artist after his departure from Virgin Records to Warner Bros.

The musical style of the album moves between progressive rock, new age, and ambient music. The album follows the structure of the original but with a more modern and "clean" sound. It includes epic orchestrations with extensive use of synthesizers, electric guitar, and orchestral percussion. Mike Oldfield played most of the instruments (over 20 different types of guitar, keyboards, percussion, and, of course, the tubular bells). The famous actor Alan Rickman participated as the "Master of Ceremonies" on the track "The Bell," introducing the instruments. The producers of Tubular Bells II were Mike Oldfield, Trevor Horn (known for his work with Yes and Art Of Noise), and Tom Newman. Trevor Horn's production gave the album a more commercial and polished aesthetic compared to the organic and sometimes dark style of 1973.

The album reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. In the United Kingdom, it went 2 times Platinum. The tour that followed, premiering at Edinburgh Castle, was a huge commercial success. It has sold approximately 1,350,000 copies worldwide.