Michael Gordon Oldfield (born 15 May 1953 in Reading, Berkshire) is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age and more recently dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature. He is best known for his hit 1973 album Tubular Bells which broke new ground as an instrumental concept album and launched Virgin Records.

Mike Oldfield (born Michael Gordon Oldfield) is largely known for Tubular Bells, his groundbreaking album from 1973, the success of which also bankrolled Richard Branson’s Virgin Records, for which Tubular Bells was the inaugural release. However, his musical career has continued for over three decades encompassing a range of styles, with varying amounts of success. According to the Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock , his style is labeled as Oldfield Progressive. Before Oldfield start