Tubular Bells  by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells (1973) is not just a record, but a cultural phenomenon that defined modern music production and made Mike Oldfield a global star at the age of just 19. It was the first album ever released by Virgin Records (with code V2001) on May 25, 1973, helping Branson build his empire. At the same time, the chilling theme of Mike Oldfield from Tubular Bells became the ultimate symbol of horror in the movie "The Exorcist". Its hypnotic melody gave the movie a unique atmosphere, turning the album into a global best-seller that still haunts viewers.

The album is difficult to classify into a single genre, as it combines elements from: progressive rock and ambient/new age to classical music, folk, and electronica. Oldfield played almost all the instruments himself (over 20 different kinds), including piano, organ (Lowrey, Farfisa, Hammond), guitar (acoustic, electric, "speed"), mandolin, glockenspiel, and of course the iconic tubular bells.

Tubular Bells reached No.1 in Britain (16 months after its release!), Canada, and Australia, and No.3 in the USA. It is estimated to have sold over 15-18,000,000 copies worldwide.