Tubular Bells

Very conceptual

Heilt vilt bra album, akkurat som dei andre langformat-albumene hans

This was awesome. I had only heard the first part of the Tubular Bells theme before, but the rest of the music was so inventive and cool and enjoyable to listen to -- way more than I expected. Five stars.

Just so familiar.

Kinda creative background music. Dont mind this one.

Like most people I didn’t know this past the exorcist and pure moods. It was really an interesting listen. Lots of variety and dynamic energy.

6.5/10

Like, totally... tubular.

The first track was five stars but then it got stupid with the growling. What a shame

perfect

very cool

el famoso TP de la facu de musica hecho disco

3.5

Lo empecé, el primer tema es muy conocido. Después sinceramente me dió paja seguirlo

I guess it’s impressive that a 19 year old put this together in 1973 but it didn’t do anything for me.

Totally out of my interest sphere. But could play in the background without much distraction. Generally not my jam. Don't get drawn into new age soundscapes which make no sense to me--while instrumentalization is clearly proficient, composition just sounds like a toddler playing around.

This is a great album to put on a good pair of headphones and sink into a chair to enjoy. 4/5

One of the first albums I bought on vinyl, largely because you can buy it anywhere for about 50p and over the years I seem to have accumulated about 4 copies of it and I only recall buying the first one, so who knows where the rest came from. This was a bold release as the first on the newly formed Virgin Records but the foresight and ambition paid off as it ended up being hugely successful. The opening is instantly recognisable to anyone that know the movie _The Exorcist_ (and hence the spooky connotations) and from there we're taken on a 40 plus minute immersive journey. A truly brilliant piece of music.

Groovy.

Neh

Feels like I grew up with this record. Real nice to revisit.

Self-indulgent garbage.

veldig bra. ikke topp topp men bra bra

not sure what the point of this was

It's kinda weird, it's kinda cool at times, it's kinda legendary, it's Tubular Bells. It was in the Exorcist and somehow went to #1. I don't hate it?

I have read the phrase "Tubular Bells" so many times it's lost all meaning.

Really cool concept for an album. Some odd interludes and definitely wasn’t expecting to hear the exorcist theme to start, but overall it was a fun listen.

Amazing album. It’s probably been at least a decade since I’ve listened to it, so it was great to hear it again!

Over the past year, I’ve been diving deep into prog rock and its various subgenres, and I have to say that for 1973, this is truly a one of a kind album. The first half takes you on a cosmic journey, through otherworldly soundscapes, while the second half shifts to a pastoral journey, guiding you through beautiful fields and landscapes. What really stands out is how Mike Oldfield crafted a new age, cosmic ambient album with minimal use of synths and electronics, relying instead on studio techniques like multi-track overdubbing. The instrumentation is incredibly impressive, especially considering Oldfield was only 19 and played most of the instruments himself.

The first track is an absolute mess. “I wrote 62 riffs this year. I am going to put them all into the same key (or thereabouts) and play one after another - people will confuse my mediocrity for genius and both Richard Branson and I will become millionaires” 1/5

Confused by this album Fave track: Mike Oldfield's Singe - Theme from Tubular Bells

I was already not really in the mood to hear an album like this. But what happens around the 12th minute of the second track had me so baffled, I had to end the listening experience right then and there. Yikes. 1/5

Natuurlijk! Tubular Bells! Een van de meest onwaarschijnlijke hits in de Amerikaanse geschiedenis! Bedankt he Exorcist... Maar het is ook gewoon best wel een vet stuk, heel mooi hoe meteen het bekende 'refrein' start. Ik had misschien verwacht dat die later pas zou komen, maar nope, meteen aan het begin knalt ie er in! En dan na 5 minuten het orgel er langzaam overheen... Grappig dat het dan eigenlijk niet meer een beangstigend deuntje word, dan word het eerder hemels. Mooi ook. Misschien zelfs wat hoopvol? Maar jezus Mike, je zit wel ver in je eigen billen hoor hahaha Na een kleine 20 minuten begint ie de instrumenten op te noemen en alsof dat niet genoeg was word na 12 minuten in deel 2 een soort gegrunt? Een soort kreunzingen in een vreemde taal? Ergens jammer dat ze dat deuntje niet in The Exorcist hebben gedaan, zou spontaan een comedy worden. En dan laatste minuten van part 2 word er besloten om een soort vrolijk gitaardeuntje als outro te doen!??! Mike wat de neuk ben je aan het doen??? Ik haat en houd van dit album. Muziek is emotie en ik heb ze denk ik allemaal gevoeld op het moment. FAVO: Tubular Bells

Definitely unique, and interesting that the opening riff became so famous when there is so much more deeper into the tracks.

keyifliydi bayağı

Who would hate this it’s hilarious. A wild ride between the familiar and the crazy. I loved it

Just really bad. It’s long and boring. The instrumentations are cool sometimes I guess. But not enough to save this clusterfuck of an album

Kinda cool background music

Got old very fast. Especially at minute 12 of the second song

Not my thing. At all.

This is another album that was interesting, but these songs could have been half their length. There were some interesting things, but they went on for too long and didn't go very far.

An interesting composition. Also a little silly. 2.25

Decent, good sound variation considering Mr Oldfield played all the instruments on this record. 2.5/5- straight 2.5

It was okay but interesting Remained me of Joanna Newsom

Cool to get Exorcist and then just isn't that interesting

6/10

Was expecting more bells 2.5

4.25-4.50 I love albums when the music speaks for itself. Like im at a point where I like not hearing someone sing or put their shitty voice on top of an already nicely arranged track. I'm seeing it as more of a crutch with some artist on the list, Cohen, Waits, Springsteen, where they aren't even harmonizing with their own tracks. But since this guy is essentially a composer, his talent is all in the atmosphere he creates, and I'm here for it.

Exorcist type beat

Not for me.

Vamos hoy jueves con un disco y una tapa icónicas, que nunca he escuchado a consciencia. Reconozco automáticamente que la canción del comienzo es la de El Exorcista y eso me engancha. Disco ideal para poner de fondo y trabajar tranquilo. Hasta mañana

this is scary shit dude

In the 2nd half of the album I started understanding the music. Beautiful piece of art

I'm never sure if my hatred for prog is snobbery or reverse snobbery, but this is crap regardless of that. I tried to give it a chance but it was super-noodly. THEN the guy started announcing the names of instruments. THEN, in Pt. II some guy started growling? Get me the fuck outta here.

I was already familiar with this album. It is some really good progressive rock. It may be a 49 minute two-part instrumental, but it is architected in such a way that keeps it interesting. There is the overall theme that gets established and then revisited, and then a series of smaller, shorter movements which are established and elaborated, and then it is on to the next one. This might not be something to listen to all the time, but it's a very rewarding listen.

oooh cousin Mike got a loop pedal 🎵 Innovation & Context When it was released, Tubular Bells was unlike anything in popular music. Oldfield, just 19 at the time, played nearly all the instruments himself and used the newly available multi-track recording technology to layer them into a continuous, symphonic composition. It was the first album on Richard Branson’s Virgin Records — and its massive success made the label. 🎧 Musical Significance Genre-blurring: It fused progressive rock, classical minimalism, and folk into a single instrumental piece, paving the way for ambient and new age music. Structure: Two long suites instead of songs, built on motifs that evolve and mutate — a bold rejection of radio formats. Production: A landmark in DIY studio craftsmanship; Oldfield’s overdubbing of dozens of instruments was groundbreaking. 🕯️ Cultural Impact The opening piano motif became globally famous after being used in The Exorcist. Beyond that, the album’s success proved there was a mass audience for experimental, instrumental music. 🧭 Why it matters It’s not just a prog curiosity — it’s a cornerstone of independent music business history, a technical marvel, and a genuinely moving, adventurous listen that still sounds fresh.

I remember being bored listening to this in the 80s. Nothing has changed.

Interesting to hear but nms

The main bit is a 5, the rest drags it down to a 3

Long

I am so confused. Initially, I wanted to dismiss this out of hand but I can’t turn it off. It’s cheesy but it’d compelling…Oops, wrong record. Apparently no one has ever told this guy that there are more words than tubular and bells. Anyway, this is horror soundtrack music and I mean that in the most respectful way. I know that this dude was in an interview one time and said “Who’s Frank Zappa?” I can’t even describe this. I love an artist or band that can’t be categorized and he’s the best example I have heard. I am 100% certain that Mike Patton loves this album. This has to be parody. If so, it’s genius.

Halfway through the second song, those metal demonic vocals were lit

I was close to giving this 5* but the Chewbacca and Blue Peter rubbish on the second side slightly reduced its appeal. It's a good album though, I normally find this kind of thing too pompous and overblown but actually i was mostly captivated to find out where it was going next. He was clearly a talented teenager

The Sailor’s Hornpipe (which I think is less than two mins long) section of part 2 is a stinky shit stain on an otherwise incredible album.

decent

There are some guitar runs in Tubular Bells (Pt. II) that are absolutely outstanding. Pretty incredible music for a 19 year old to write. Great album.

Cool in short bursts but the full album drags a bit.

This would’ve been perfect for Halloween. Four songs, an hour long. That’s a lot of whatever this genre is.

What a shame - this album would have been perfect for last Friday (Halloween.) I was of course familiar with at least the opening of the first track from The Exorcist but am pretty sure I had never listened to the entire song. It takes a weird turn about 6 minutes in! The part at the end where they are naming instruments and then playing them seemed unnecessary, but it's a 26-minute instrumental piece so I guess "necessary" is a pretty relative term. I found the story of this album fascinating, particularly how it was discovered/chosen for the film and its essentially accidental role in the survival of Virgin Records. I actually liked the first few minutes of "Tubular Bells, Pt. II" more than just about anything else on this album. And then that one gets really weird about 12 minutes in. And closes with a very familiar tune that I now know is called "Sailor's Hornpipe." I don't hate this but it's not really my cup of tea.

This is my first album? This? *sigh* Okay then.

Was going to just give it a three based on how much it's part of our cultural soundscape and not really listen. I'm glad I did and it was the perfect album for Halloween.

A little surprised that I enjoyed this one as much as I did. On the surface, I figured it would be pretty boring. But it actually was fairly interesting the whole way through and didn't drag on despite the length and composition. There were enough change-ups during the runtime to keep it engaging to the end. I also liked the instrumentation. While not exactly a genre I seek out, most of it came together nicely. It kind of reminded me of some more modern alt-rock stuff that you might hear where there is a lot of space between some of the instruments, yet they still combine into the whole coherently. The guitars were the highlights for me. Though not really in focus very long, I thought they had a really cool sound that elevated them in the mix. Even so, it's not really something that I can say I'd want to listen to again. It was a fun experience, but I don't see my self enjoying it nearly as much on a repeat. I do appreciate how it stands out as different and interesting, especially considering it was basically just a 19-year-old throwing it together. All told, I'm rating it more as "OK" than good. Overall: 2.7/5

Totally tubular! Is that something from a film (Wayne's World)? I can't remember. Anyway, I actually really enjoyed this way more than I expected. I think I had probably listened to this a bit more than I remember at around age 16 and 17 (the Pink Floyd era). It's quite silly, and why he feels the need to put a jig in the middle of it is anyone's guess, but at times it's very atmospheric and the opening few minutes are (horrible word) iconic.

Mike Oldfield was nineteen when he decided to pick up every instrument he could play and created a 50 minute instrumental symphonic rock piece of art that many labels deemed unmarketable, but ended up as one of Virgin Records biggest commercial hits. Take my five stars. Ps: I started collecting records when I inherited two separate collections and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells was the only record in both of them. So to this day I have two copies.

On principle I’m not usually a fan of songs over 20 minutes but this was so weird I couldn’t help but enjoy it

Classic instrumental album, always fun to revisit.

Long drawn out album here. Some parts were really cool, some were what the hell? Overall, middle of the road for me. 3

Listening to this takes dedication. It's not bad, but I needed space from it after.

Reminds me of an amalgam of cheesy Christmas music and Celtic Muzak.

I’m on the fence with this. I recognise its genius, but I only listen to it every few years.

what the heck.............

Thoughts before listening: Ambient early electronic recording from the 70s. I'm pretty sure that's the general idea here. Probably going to be better than that description would indicate. Review: I would say that I mostly had the sound right. It's fully instrumental and brings in a lot of different sounds. There are long tracks with many different sections, some of which I really enjoy and others that are pretty boring. I was surprised that there were some strong guitar solo sections that caught my attention. However, for the most part this is new age-y, ambient music that doesn't really resonate with me. 2-stars

Weird. It had some moments but overall quite an odd listen.

i mean it's fine, it's better when it's attached to a movie. star deducted for significantly contributing to forcing richard branson on us

Kind of a weird situation to listen to this one - I was driving for most of it and thus unable to be 100% positive that I actually did remove the extra tracks from the version I was listening to. I kept being positive I must have goofed up but every time I checked cautiously, it was still Tubular Bells pt. II.... I'm not sure if I gave myself Stockholm Syndrome but I did actually kind of enjoy it, especially the opening part used in The Exorcist and the part where the instruments all got introduced. Suffers, though, from the prog rock thing of being forever long and so I would typically like "a song" and instead I just liked a chunk of a really long and varied single track?

I don't like to use this word to criticise music just because of how often it gets used when people misjudge something, but this album is very meandering. And don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of post-rock so music of this kind of style is nothing new to me, and to be fair there were still quite a few moments that were really cool and satisfying. But I just did find there to be just as many moments that felt like they were completely pointless and went on for far too long.

Good background music. It's basically two very long ambient tracks, which sounds kind of awful but there's lots of variety in there which keeps interest as you listen. The second track is definitely worse than the first, especially the weird vocals. But overall it's pretty good

A bit too prog for me. It seems like good music, but random music-ettes constantly changing.

Prefer more updated instrumental albums. Besides, the first track is theme song for the movie the Exorcist…so no thanks.

Really cool musically but I don't see how often I could listen to this otherwise I'd give it a four

Not for me

Top 5 albums of all time

I‘m getting older. From my teenage years until yesterday I actively did not like this album. There was just something off with it, but yesterday I realized that this is really an amazing album. Maybe it‘s my age speaking now, I‘ve started to like Steely Dan as well. I‘m not even that old

Way too long of an album for my attention span

Interesting? Sure. Masterpiece? Nah.

Even guest vocals from the Tasmanian Devil couldn't save this one

Certainly belongs on this list.

That was something else. Exorcist

The Exorcist theme song! Neat. Otherwise, pretty solid background music. I'll say 3/5

Interesting

Bad memories of seeing The Exorcist as a kid - but this was a fun little proggy rock listen.

Actually kinda cool but drags on.

When he said "plus TUBULAR BELLS" I started pumping my fists, crying and shitting all at once. My body couldn't handle it.

Iconisch,. Weet nog goed dat dit een van de platen was die bij opa en oma Wally lagen welke vroeger van mam waren. Geweldige muziek. Na het luisteren: op de paar iconische stukjes na eigenlijk niet best.

fabulous instrumental album, enjoyed from start to finish, would recommend

Sure why not. The sprawling, orchestral opus is a fine way to spend an hour. A change is as good as a rest and ive had too much 90's hip hop recently. Never again but fun

Maybe the most well known, or at least most commercially successful piece of property experimental music. This was my first time listening to the whole thing. I really liked the more avant garde sections as well as the more traditional guitar work. I did not expect the last section to sound so much like "Jib Jig" from Donkey Kong Country 2.

Was aware of Tubular Bells - and its use in the Omen and other films but had never listened to the album. It starts well with the "Omen" motif - but then moves on to pastures new and it has its moments but then the spoken word introductions start and it begins to feel a little primary school. Part 2 is a different movement with not much obvious connection to me and whilst I like the foklyness and the Hornpipe and I did not care for the grunting.

Tubular Bells I’m sure I’ve listened to this in the past, but I can’t recall it a great deal, apart from the opening of Part 1, obviously. I do remember I had a period a while back where I was quite into Hergest Ridge, the album after this, but I’m not sure why. Listening now, I can see why it was so popular, it is a great two pieces of music. Slightly pompous in a prog rock way of course, but with lovely passages and melodies. Apart from the piano intro (and recurring motif throughout) on Part 1, I love the bass riff that kicks in around 17.30, and the subsequent build of instruments and voices to the end with the delicate voices and acoustic. Part 2 I’m not quite as keen on as Part 1, while there are some excellent moments, I’m not a fan of the yelling and howling, and it gets a little too prog, missing some of the subtlety and grace of Part 1. I very much enjoyed this, it lands as solid 4. 🔔🔔🔔🔔 Playlist submission: Tubular Bells (Pt I)

I didn't realise this was his debut until reading about it, but that's rather incredible; it feels like something a seasoned 40-year old would put together. He also plays near all the instruments, and reveals a real aptitude such as Pt II 17munute mark, guitar noodling, with a Gilmour tone. The Odyssean 'Part 1', is not just about the tinkling piano refrain, which in fact is a very small part of it. There is a repeating guitar motif that's just as unsettling (one instance after the tolling of the bells at 16 minutes). Not a little touch of Pink Floyd here also. There are magnificent undulations and movements throughout, culminating in the superb Viv Stanshall intro to all the instruments. Part II feels altogether more inconsequential, at least for it's first half. It leans more to pop than a classical suite. The movements and scales and beating of a drum reminds me of a medieval setting, it feels like apt incidental music for the Robin Hood TV show. That's until the 12 minute mark when a Klingon inexplicably comes in, and the whole thing takes a welcome turn to rock, finally mellowing to a Procul Harum type groove. It starts to feel a bit of a meandering jam by minute 20, losing the structured motifs and refrains about which Pt I is built. So certainly a precocious talent, and an iconic part I, with a less successful part II. It borders three and four; I think I'd rather listen to Moonlight Shadow and In Dulce Jubilo - this retains a good three.

i love the exorcist song of course…then when the oboe really starts making an appearance in the latter songs it’s quite different for me

It wasn't terrible, but also pretty boring except for the first 4 minutes where I thought I had turned on The Exorcist soundtrack by accident. 2/5

Iconic to some degree but bleh

Yeah this had cool and interesting moments. It was a strange blend of like Atom Heart Mother with a touch of LSD Beatles. The opening track started strongly then it got shit then you realise you still have like 15 or minutes or so of it to go. That encapsulates the album really.

Masterpiece!

I've just started listening but is nice for studying or if you're doing something were you need to be concentrated. Lovely album in terms of the amount of instruments that are played in. The part II is really bad though. I would only listen to the first part tbh

Hey it's that one song from SpongeBob! ...God I'm so cooked.

musica sperimentale strana, ci hanno ricavato gingle per esorcista. stupito da quanto mi sia piaciuto

Vermutlich viel zu lange Titel für die heutige Jugend. Als 70er Youngster jedoch genau richtig.

I was not prepared for the start of this record to be the theme from The Exorcist, and I also didn’t expect that every time I thought these long arrangements were starting to lose me, they won me back. Really awesome for what it is, and the story behind the production of this record is equally captivating. Best Track: Tubular Bells - Pt. I

For a lot of this album, I enjoyed the music. It fits well into the genre of music to listen to while concentrating on something else. However, there's a couple of really wanky moments, a little towards the end of the first side where Oldfield feels the need to introduce the instruments like he was presenting a children's tv program and a couple of minutes on the second side where he twats about with the sailor's hornpipe and some weird monster voice. These moments took me out of my enjoyment and spoiled the rest of the album somewhat.

Pretty much just instrumental. I can see how bits of it would be used in a movie. It was fun to study to but I wouldn't listen to it anywhere else. beats actually did get fire as they went on. The parts where he said the instrument names throughout 'Tubular Bells - Pt 1' were really funny. 'Tubular Bells - Pt 1' was the best track

1/5

Amazing. Would make for an awful doorbell though

This was a pretty weird album. It felt all over the place, but not in a bad way.

Essential

This pissed me off. Every time I thought it was going somewhere it ended up being some fuck shit

Lotta fucking insanity, shout out to the Exorcist, probably never returning to this album

People make way too big a deal about this. The title track is alright and the bit at the end with someone narrating Sailor’s Hornpipe is fun, but there’s a lot of fluff in the middle.

It kinda gave me a classical kinda stranger things also a bit of like rock but I think it was really cool 😎 so I'm definitely going to give a good rating.

Knowing Mike Oldfield played every instrument does increase the interest. I managed to stay pretty engaged, but wasn’t exactly amped. 2 1/2, nudged to a three due to a couple of sweet parts.

Glad I listened to this, but I probably will never put it on again

Too much experimental for me, lots o weird sound. But relaxing after all.

blah

This is an easy 5-star for me. I have loved Oldfield's music since I discovered him in the early '80s. Some of his later stuff was not on par by far, but that's another matter. Tubular Bells is not for listening to in the background while doing chores. It should be experienced intentionally to fully appreciate its brilliance. The original recording has some flaws, which he addressed in a later re-recording—mainly disharmonies and instruments slightly out of tune, along with some technical limitations.

*1973. English instrumental prog rock. *Sounds like Manheim Steamroller's Christmas album... lots of bells. *Totally fine background RATING - 5.5/10

I have never watched The Exorcist.

Not quite as entertaining as the start would have me believe. Sailors hornpipe got me shufflin' a bit. Pairs well with decorating a Christmas tree.

Pretty cool

A really good album, I liked Tubular Bells Pt. 1 and Mike Oldfield's Single the most.

This is proper weird, I like it! It's getting me upset about the arbitrary choice to exclude classical music from this list. Quite a few of the most influential folks in the the instrumental/experimental/ whatever this is genre, contemporaries to this album, are artists generally accepted as 'modern classical' artists. What, since he grumbles through a song and he was only 19 this counts for the list? The difference is arbitrary. If you want something that'll really knock your socks off, listen to Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians

Hilarious! The spookiest movie of my generation, yet I never placed this iconic track to an artist. The music will forever remind me of a floating Linda Blair turned Satan shouting, “Your mother sucks cocks in Hell!” Not sure that’s how Oldfield wants to be remembered, but I’m happy for his success. The album is ok. Falls into the ever-expanding category called Background.

By all rational thinking, I shouldn't like this.

Ehhh. I'm not mad. I just don't really need most of this. There are some nice moments, but generally speaking, I don't have a reason to spend more time with it.

Tubular Bells was definitely an album that had potential but unfortunately wasted it. It definitely has an interesting structure for an album with it just being 2 songs but having multiple parts to them. I can also really appreciate it for trying loads of different styles of music. The problem is some of the parts sound really bad. These parts were mainly the parts where Oldfield decides to commit musical war crimes with his guitars and dear lord, these could get incredibly abrasive. Even some of the good parts could get repetitive. I can't in good conscience give this a 1 because there were good areas and there is also my appreciation for him trying many musical styles but i still don't think its a very good album. Best Song: Tubular Bells, Part Two Worst Song: Tubular Bells, Part One Side note: Yes, i know it is kinda redundant to have a best and worst songs area since there are technically only two tracks here but i don't care, i do as i please.

Not what I expected for my first album! An interesting listen. I think I could put this one while working to help me concentrate

At the beginning I was actually liking it. But it got boring for me really fast. There are songs that you like because they are good background music but this wasn’t that either. I actually did like the theme from tubular bells, but considering it was only a bit over 3 minutes from this whole thing…

Extra star for being 19 when he made this. Extra star for The Exorcist. Title song was on that Pure Moods compilation.

I miss the '70s. The experimentation and 'trippy-ness' of what artists did was amazing but it took The Exorcist to bring attention to this album and the new Virgin label. Maybe this site can expose more one-off artists through time?

it's dragging on for too long most of the time but wel it's ok

Not really for me!

If a friend recommended this album to me, that person would no longer be my friend. I guess it’s somewhat noteworthy for Oldfield playing most of the instruments himself and melding the instrumental layers into a cohesive final product, but sweet Jesus is it boring. It’s difficult to comprehend the fact that this album has sold around 16 million copies worldwide and occupied a major position on the UK and US music charts for quite some time. The immediate questions that come to mind are “How”? What was the fascination? After seeing ‘The Exorcist’ did people walk out of the theater going “Man, it would be really great to have an entire album of those bells?” It’s pointless to ask these questions because I am not the audience for this album and will never understand its appeal. The random growling. The verbal introductions of the instruments. Call it prog rock, avant-garde, whatever. For me, this is what plays on continuous loop in Hell. It was a novelty that wore off before the record even ended.

It’s hard for me to get past the title track which as a kid scared the pants off of me because of the Exorcist movie. Even today it still sends chills down my spine, irrational as that is. But I know it’s great.

There are some absolutely terrible distortion on guitar work, but it's an interesting journey. Somebody needs to give the guy on side two the Heimlich before he chokes to death.

What a wild ride of emotions.

Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for Mike Oldfield.

(37/100)

Not my cup of tea

i was intrigued by this album at first but it quite simply did not deliver. it just sounded slightly messy and disorganised, with two 20+ minute songs giving it no real structure. i just didn't understand it. there were specific parts of songs that i could enjoy/appreciate but overall i just found it quite dull and unsettling.

It's okay. I believe it's famous because of a horror film. I also know the name as a pioneer of studio music. But it's just okay. The album is like 40+ minutes of a loop pedal street musician trying various sounds to get a crowd to stick, until they eventually leave.

I liked when he said glockenspiel. Just as it started to get boring, it would switch up. Last song sounds like a SpongeBob song.

The caveman section was my favourite part. It was actually a piece of "lost media" for me as a friend played it to me years ago and I mistakenly thought it was by Genesis, so could never successfully find it again. This album might have been a four, but he was nineteen years old and did basically the whole thing himself, and that's very impressive. So much creativity and intelligence on display here.

Enjoyed that once again, takes me back

Sick album, first song obviously the best but the rest is alright too

Kan ærligt ikke huske ret meget af det ud over det var instrumentalt. Der var ikke noget memorabelt.

Et virkelig godt album havde det ikke været for store dele af både åbnings tracket og lukkeren.

Interesting listen. Strange, but interesting.

has its moments

I'm very much not a fan of the super-long song with multiple different movements, and this album is just two of those. There are lots of great moments on this, but there are also some stupid moments (like the growling or whatever that was on part II). Surprisingly enjoyable, ultimately!

The ultimate instrumental; bit long & somewhat monotonous.

I kinda knew what I was getting into, because almost everyone has heard the opening bit for tubular bells. But dear Lord that first track could have been split up into three maybe, dear Lord it goes on forever. I love electronica, but this is a little much. I need a break, Mike. Come on. My rating: 4/5

Boring

Slaps

Put me in a trance, good focusing music

Once is enough

Good music to do chores to. The part where he calls out what is playing was particularly fun. Not sure I'd bother listening again.

I live near a medieval church and often cut through the graveyard on my way to the local shop. Today I got to do that while pretending I was in a horror movie as I listened to the bit from The Exorcist. But that was probably the most fun I had with this otherwise slightly dull album.

Pist 1 :

I've already listened to his album (10). Some good parts but pretty forgettable overall. Nothing never gets as good as the first few minutes, AKA The Exorcist theme.

Your mother sucks cocks in Hell

From the opening notes I immediately thought of 'The Exorcist', so Tubular Bells just can't seem to live that down. But after the first couple of minutes it materializes as a meandering instrumental exploration of a sprawling, eccentric theme park, ultimately funneling toward the centerpiece attraction of the clunky, contoured, tube-shaped chimes. I can appreciate that it is relaxing to let the mind wander along with the free-form composition, inflecting across just about every imaginable prog-rock fancy. Now imagine the Saturday Night Live skit recording "Don't Fear the Reaper" if the gag was "More Tubular Bell!" instead.

Threw everything at the wall, and whilst it wasn't bad, why? Not sure about the random barking, and a suffusion of excessive instrumentation meant any singular sense got rapidly lost. But then, he did, so kudos. (Also can't distance it from the overwhelming sense of prog ie. aging out of touch middle England who are there to fawn sycophantically over a drumstick from 1970, and are the types leaving comments on YouTube videos saying "isn't it great the youth can make music" - but I accept this is my own prejudice!)

Very interesting way to start my day

Instantly felt like I was transported into a high stakes movie scene showing a montage of the character piecing together all the information they have to solve whatever it is. Found out after it is the theme song for The Exorcist which explains why I was mesmerized. After a while though, it just simply became background music for me during my work day. Soothing and awe inspiring that he played each instrument, but likely a one time only listen for me.

Inexplicably, I was sort of enjoying this. I'm thinking, this is way more than just the famous riff from The Exorcist .... and then Mike starts naming the instruments he's playing. Then halfway through Part II, the ACTUAL demon from The Exorcist grabbed the mic for some reason? What?? And then we get into Turkey in the Straw. Hahaha. What is this?

Oh cool The Exorcist theme! Oh no 50 minutes for two songs that could have been shortened to one 2-3 minutes song.

Impressing, considering he was only 19 when he made this and played most of the instruments himself. Unfortunately, I only appreciated parts of both tracks, and will probably never listen to it again.

I’m not sure what to make of this. At it times it felt like I was hanging out with a musician as they played around with a few half-formed riffs and unrefined song ideas. The first few minutes of the opening track would make a good movie theme, I wonder if anyone has thought of that, and I like the bit where the guy says “Tubular Bells” - that was where the album peaked for me.

Interesting stuff. Quite liked it. Simpsons: No

It was alright, but I'm not going to come back for another listen anytime soon.

Meh, went for a run while listening to this, was alright to exorcise to.

9/10 As I've listened to this list, one thing that has struck me is how some albums (a lot from the 90s) seem to lack a fundamental intertwining of their various instruments. Everything seems to exist as a track the is forced to coexist with a load of other beeps and clicks. I can SEE the midi and audio tracks on the old CRT monitor as they scroll by. This album is the antithesis of that. The tracks live together. They support and compliment each other. It is an organic thing and, for me, that is a central column of good music. It is what links it to our hearts and souls - without it, it's just noise. If you record music, even if you don't like this album specifically, you should really listen to it to understand How Music Works.

A little too long and generic but good nonetheless

It grows on you. From part 2

What a weird one. I'm glad I listened. I won't do it again. Nicely done Oldfield.

“We got Pink Floyd at home.”

That was a thing. Grunt, grunt, rrrawrrr!

Meditative prog with so gorgeous moments. So simple but so well made

Tubular Bells is an interesting and ambitious listen. There are some genuinely lovely moments throughout, and it’s incredible to think that Mike Oldfield played every instrument himself—especially considering he was only 19 at the time. The album is made up of just four tracks spread over an hour, with the opener stretching to 25 minutes. It’s a unique structure, but one that makes it difficult to stay fully engaged. For me, it quickly became background music rather than something I actively wanted to focus on. It’s a clever, experimental album with some strong musical ideas, but ultimately, it’s not something I’ll return to. Favourite track: Tubular Bells Pt. 1 – the most recognisable and engaging piece. Least favourite: Nothing stands out as bad, but much of it feels like musical nonsense by the end. Album artwork: An iconic and instantly recognisable cover.

Soundtrack to a horror film?

Tubular Bells is incredible. Part 1 has a great sound and vibe but when they start announcing the instruments they take good to great. Going from "two slightly distorted guitars" to an excited "mandolin!" I always picture someone in the audience going "I can't believe they got mandolin!!!". Then they go "Tubular Bells!" and everyone melts down. Part 2 gets a bit weird at times but it's such a unique album and has a really cool place in history on how it effectively launched Virgin Records.

What are we talking about!? My face melted. glockenspiel. I like it. It makes sense. More tubular bell. It worked on the phone speakers, car stereo, but headphones were the best. You get your money's worth.

Mike... Mike, Mike, Mike! Mike? Mike. Mike! Mike?! Mike! MIKE!! Yeah, ok hi Mike, I think we got it, the bells, they're tubular, yeah, no I get it, tubular, Mike, yeah. Thanks.

Different but listenable

Ah, first album on the list I regularly listen to already. Classic instrumental, weaving its way through so many moods. Best track - can't put a 25min track on the playlist, and know it inside out already, so let's just say the single version of Tubular Bells 5 stars

Good instumentals

I had no idea about this 80s icon of an artist. The long-winded album is not bad as far as instrumental music goes. Compared to modern instrumental cinematic music, it does not hold a candle. It's not bad though, 3/5 meh

A genre defying instrumental album. Lots of mini musical ideas somehow held together to hold the listener’s interest. Don’t expect a virtuosic playing.

if i wanted to listen to bells i would watch season 1 ep 9 of new girl

Oddly mesmerizing. Don’t know how bad I want to come back but I can sort of understand the hype.

Gave it a try didn't make it through the first 23 minute song

Definitely interesting and good working music. Will I usually want to sit down and listen to a 20 minute track with bells, probably not. Was it unique and I'm glad I listened to it? Yes. Neutral rating.

I liked it. Its interesting but easy to listen to in the background. I just wish it was chopped up into more than 2 tracks so I can just jump to my favorite parts.

Nice but wanky

Does feel, at times, like a score for a film. (I know parts of this were used for films.) The kind of album you can throw on in the background and do other things (complimentary). 4/5

C’est drôle, j’ai écouté Tubular Bells dernièrement. J’ai répertorié les albums sur cette liste qui font déjà parti de ma discothèque, j’ai vu qu’il était là et je l’ai écouté, juste parce que. Mais, quand même, je vais le réécouter aujourd’hui. Juste parce que. La ligne de basse juste avant le segment où Mike Oldfield présente les instruments : chef’s kiss ! Donc, toujours aussi bon ! J’ai même écouté Ommadawn, juste parce que.

I really enjoyed this little album. Not really familiar with Oldfield but this was really good for an amateur up and commer who recorded it all himself Will watch the Exorcist soon since it uses part of the album.

Good, viv stashall speaking listenened a lot during gcse studies.

I randomly came across Mike Oldfield's 'Guitars' album years ago, in which he uses exclusively (you guessed it) guitars to make all the sounds on the record, including some blues and rocky tunes and a few more soundscapey numbers. So I was mildly disappointed to discover this is his whole thing. He just did it with bells first. And bells are less fun than guitars. I don't love horror films so the opening 5-10 mins isn't much fun for me but there are some cool moments across the two long tracks. There are also the moments where he grunts and growls instead of attempting to sing and I'm not entirely sure why. I would definitely call this more of an interesting listen than a great or engaging one. But it managed to be simultaneously kind of boring and while I was on the fence about giving it a 2 or 3, I don't feel motivated to listen to the whole thing again, unless it's literally as background noise that I can ignore if I need to.

So good! Had been recommended to me before but never gone the full distance - really enjoyable

Langweilif 2 richtige songs die beide 20+ gehen , nur indtrumental was nicht schlecht war aber gibt viele dinge die ich lieber hören würde

Aika siisti kokonaisuus. Käytännössä 50 minuuttinen instrumentaali. Alku on tuttu theme Exorcistista, mutta loppu aivan muuta. Prog rokkia käytännössä, luulin että tää olis elektroninen. Parhaat: Tubular Bells Pt. 2

Overall, this isn’t a bad listen. It’s ambitious, well-crafted, and unique in its sound. There’s a lot to appreciate in how it builds and evolves. I respect the artistry, but I don’t see myself coming back to it anytime soon.

firstly, bro have a super huge bias towards prog. and instrumental rock. and child prodigies. secondly, bro really need to watch The Exorcist. thirdly, bro liked the part that was used in the 2012 olympics opening. in general it sounds ok but some part is too repitive and sometime it sounds too celtic/irish and too inconherent. 3/5

I guess this is a 2.... It's not bad, I just didn't want to listen to it anymore. If I had more patience it probably wouldv'e managed a 3 - 2 instrumental songs totaling 50 minutes. Fun concept, let's see... - Strong start. If the quality holds for 50 minutes this will rank well - 6:20 -> oh no, annoying guitar enters. I hope this doesn't ruin everything - Quality is starting to wander a little but it's not bad - Paused around 8 minute mark. Much less patience when I returned. I’m not going to make it all the way through this

It's hard to imagine a more iconic opening to an album that the first few minutes of "Tubular Bells", famously used as the music to The Exorcist. There's something surreal about hearing the rest of the album evolve into something else though. I think this is one of those albums where being so familiar with a small part of it is a major disadvantage. It really doesn't live up to the intensely creepy sound that you may expect. It's a technical triumph, sure. And maybe if it wasn't for The Exorcist, I could judge it separately. Unfortunately, the iconic sound is so limited to the first moments that it's hard to really care about the rest. A fine album in and of itself, but the noteworthy part wraps up far too quickly to remain memorable.

I tend to take issue with albums like this that are just a couple of unbearably long tracks. They usually aren't even listenable for 1 minute but subject us to 25 minutes of bullshit. This is the first one of those albums on this list I've seen done well. I was actually able to lose myself in the music instead of constantly checking the clock.

60/100. A solid effort with clear respect for the material, but not quite as captivating as it could have been.

I usually don't like repetitive music with such a slow build up, but somehow this stays interesting. I don't know how he does it, but it works. pt.1 is better than pt.2.

I happen to like music that sounds like a video game soundtrack, but I do have to wonder why this album made the list. I'll probably annoy someone by saying this, but this might actually break the list-makers' "no classical music" rule; it's hard to bucket this one into a genre but I think an argument can be made for modern classical.

This isn't horrible without the horror! Some funky sections, but for the most part it's on the interesting side of weird.

First three minutes of Part 1 and a few minutes in the middle of Part 2: SPOOKY, SCARY SKELETONS SEND SHIVERS DOWN YOUR SPINE SHRIEKING SKULLS WILL SHOCK YOUR SOUL SEAL YOUR DOOM TONIGHT Rest of album: I am at the proper level of high to love this album. prog forever.

Arranque desde casa ya sintiendo que me seguía un ser no identificado y me di cuenta que seguía en el mismo estado de alerta en Avellaneda, como va a durar tanto los primeros 2 temas man. Le sume una estrella porque me pudo mantener mirando el cielo tanto tiempo.

Un viejo falopero que sabe hacer música pero es falopero

Que es esta poronga

La delgada linea entre ser un compositor visionario o ser un demente que junta sonidos. La percusión recién entro a los 40 minutos de disco y si bien no entendía que pasaba, seguía expectante por ver que falopa sumaba Interesante

Weird

these bells sure were tubular! just kidding it wasn't that interesting

My ex husband use to try to torment me with this album!

omg the exorcist Those bells were tubular! 79/100

What the hell, the first 2 tracks are over 20 min! I don't know what to expect here. Let's see what the wiki says.... Hmmmm "its opening theme was used for the soundtrack to the horror film The Exorcist." That's pretty cool. Oh yep! hahah awesome! intersting album. 3 stars

Wow extremely uninteresting. Listen to the first three minutes of track one for that spooky Exorcist vibe, then sign out. You’ve heard the peak and you saved yourself 55 minutes of boredom.

Cool motifs, but they feel a bit hackneyed these days.

giving me the fall horror vibes!

★★★½

(Disregarding the last blabbering song)

More to this than I imagined

So, I had heard the short Tubular Bells song in the Exorcist trailer, and then I heard the longer version (with key change to hopeful and glorious), and now I've heard the 26 (?) minute version. I figure in another ten years I'll hear the Tubular Bells opera I didn't know about (though, this gets close to being opera).

a whole universe

There's a lot of music, especially these days, that sound very much like this. I suspect he was a trailblazer. I found it surprisingly enjoyable.

Meh. I almost gave a second star because it reminded me of The Exorist;; I lived in the Georgetown neighborhood when it was filmed, but no. One star only.

This album is the epitome of an identity crisis- felt like 20 musical genres mashed together.

Really 1.5… I made it through the album and parts were pretty. And then there was the caveman grunting parts…

#647. This sounds like movie soundtrack music. 2/5: not something that you need to listen to before you die. Feel free to die before you've heard this.

One I already know, exciting! I very much enjoyed it, tickles the brain in the right way.

There is something I find interesting about long compositions of music. 45:33 by LCD Soundsystem would come to mind as my first choice but this is in second place. Split into 2 songs, the album is multiple things as it goes on. It’s relaxing, it’s exciting, and then it’s relaxing again. I am not sure where to put that one part like 12 minutes into the second song in that though. Overall this is a fun album. I enjoyed it.

Over the past year, I’ve been diving deep into prog rock and its various subgenres, and I have to say that for 1973, this is truly a one of a kind album. The first half takes you on a cosmic journey, through otherworldly soundscapes, while the second half shifts to a pastoral journey, guiding you through beautiful fields and landscapes. What really stands out is how Mike Oldfield crafted a new age, cosmic ambient album with minimal use of synths and electronics, relying instead on studio techniques like multi-track overdubbing. The instrumentation is incredibly impressive, especially considering Oldfield was only 19 and played most of the instruments himself.

So I finally got this album. "Tubular Bells" is impressive, considering Oldfield was only 19 when he recorded it. Most of the album has some cool parts. Everyone knows the first bit from The Exorcist. Look out for Oldfield's vocals in the second half; you'll find them humourous. 4 stars for "Tubular Bells".

Fascinating multi-layered experimental album. Complicated, extremely ambitious composition. Not completely serious though, just quirky and meandering. The kind of thing only a nineteen year old would do. By that I mean it doesn't care at all what you think, just all kinds of crazy ideas one after another, risk free. Nothing to prove, nothing to lose. In the prog rock pantheon I would say. Fun, but scattered. Great for the attention deficit generation.

Classic. Love it. 40 min is a bit much though.

A solid. A classic. Yes, Tom 4 stars!

._.

Is this one of those cocaine albums? Definitely would not have listened to it without this list, and actually happy I did, in a weird way.

3.5

I can't give anything other than 5 stars for making the Exorcist theme by being a one man band. Good on ya, Mike.

This album is pretty fantastically whimsical, like, it has SERIOUS adhd. Sometimes it feels like it's the score to a fantasy anime and other times the score to that one nick cage movie where he has to steal all the cars for the mafia in only 3 days (aka I really like this album). I'm usually kinda bored w/ instrumentals but this is really fun, engaging, and never boring. Also, that bit where the guy seductively says "slightly distorted guitaaaahs" lives rent free in my brain>:) Other notes: -the electric guitar coming in in the first song was hype -second song did get a bit annoying around the 5 minute mark tbh -11:50 mark in song 2 had me giggling -third song (Tubular Bells Theme) was a fun time even if it did sound like a tinkerbell movie -Sailors hornpipe was a TRIP. -all my comments on how it sounded like a score make sense now as it turns out it was used as such in the 1973 film "the Exorcist"

Delightful. Minimalist-esque which I always rock with. A fun whistle-stop tour of... something. Not entirely sure what. But it's lovely, its memetic in the good way. Could do so many tasks to this soundtrack

Not a fan

This was a cool listen. I knew the tune from The Exorcist but I had no idea it was an album first. Research led me to some interesting info. Very different and enjoyable.

Nice melodies, but too long and kind of the same after all

Well, I suppose it is a feat that this was done by a 19-year-old mostly by himself. Consider me impressed. I am also not at all interested in revisiting this. The guitar work around the 18(ish?) minute mark of the first track was my favorite part.

Very solid Prog album, it reminds me a lot of Long Season, I wouldn't be surprised if the Fishmans were inspired by Mike Oldfield. Some of the sections don't work all that well, but it is constantly changing so nothing overstays its welcome. I guess I need to state that I also think that The Exorcist is a great movie. High 4.

its okay but not something that lands with me

This was enjoyable enough, I don’t mind long-form songs that meander around. But halfway thru part II some kind of demonic chanting, and then a disjointed horn pipe tacked onto the end? WTF Mike, you lost me there… 2.5/5 decent but maybe a bit avant garde for me

Still freaks me out. Can't listen, the movie scared me as a kid. So no go on this. Silly I know.

The first few minutes were cool, as I saw The Exorcist when I was way too young and this song being played on the radio freaked me out. I discovered it no longer does. The rest was just not my thing. If I was at a Ren Faire I suppose it would be tolerable, but I was listening at home. The grunts, and announcing of instruments, was just unnecessary.

ijbol when I saw that ONE song was 26 minutes. You are not Beethoven, Mike Oldfield.

Whimsical

Inventive and no doubt genre changing

An iconic album from 1973. Part one is a masterpiece, and part two a bit of fun.

This goes to some pretty surprising places and sounds great in all of them. Mike Oldfield is keen to show you everything he can do and how creatively he can assemble a pallet of different sounds that you don’t usually hear side by side. At various points something sudden and surprising happens (e.g. an unexpected voice) and continues to impact how you perceive the music well after it has left the stage. A very clever composition.

Its a high 3 from me, i love so many elements but frequently one part will come in over the top and really ruin it for me, i prefer side 2 as it sounds like music from a high fantasy medieval RPG game from the 80s

No he encontrado la grabación original en spotify. Fue genial en su época y no la ha superado nunca.

Interesting instrumentals, not bad as bgm. 3

Not feeling the vibe on this one,

Actively dislike this one - would be a 3 or 4 out of 10 - I quite like the opening part and there are occasional moments of brilliance scattered throughout. I also think it's quite funny (in a good way) when the instruments all come in and the posh narrator guy starts saying what they all are. I feel a bit closer to a 2 for now acknowledging it occasionally has me interested.

J - 2/5 Best Track - N/A F - DNL

Really struggled deciding what rating to give this album It's really impressive how he managed to do all of this himself at 19. For sure way more productive and talented than I was at that age I remember listening to this album with my dad growing up. The Exorcist theme is iconic, and I also liked the little Blue Peter jingle at the end It was way too long though. Some parts kept dragging on. Also the growling was a bit odd. It was a 2.5 really but I'll round up 3 ⭐️

wunderfull instrumental music

Original and recognizable sound. Nice to listening in the background while doing something.

Weird

Instrumental. First song sounded like theme music from Halloween

I dont know what the heck just happened. 2 well-made yet bizarre songs that lasted almost an hour. This has been the most confusing album in the 92 I have so far listened to. I didn't hate it, but nor will I ever purposefully listen to it again, though I do know a couple people in my life who I will recommend this to (though they probably already are aware of it). Mike Oldfield is obviously a talented musician with a wild imagination and kudos to him for this album. This is one that belongs on this list, even if I don't give it the highest of marks. 6.8/10 92/1001

weird

It may seem unfair to use an album released in 1973 as a metaphor for living in the AI era, except that somehow the comparison seems apt. After all, it's one guy playing all the instruments (for us). There is a certain randomness and lack of cohesion to the two songs (which are actually named "I" and "II"). Neither track offers any sense of completion. The whole thing feels automated. It's the music is the product of ChatGPT.

6.5/10 This is without a doubt an album containing music. Highlights: Tubular Bells Pt.I Tubular Bells Pt.II

Muy medieval, la primera canción es buena a pesar de ser tan larga. Me gusta el sentimiento que expresa la mezcla de instrumentos

Shocker, another British album that really has no reason being on this list. As a horror fan, I certainly can respect that the music was used in The Exorcist...but this doesn't even seem like an album - it's essentially just a long progressive-instrumental recording. And one that gets weirder (and worse) the longer it goes on, mind you.

Preferred Mike's stuff with the mechanics

Giga boring