Mike Oldfield

Mike Oldfield

pop rock, progressive rock, traditional folk music

United Kingdom

"Rhythmic patterns pulse beneath layers of shimmering tones, creating a dense tapestry that shifts steadily yet leaves ample room for reflection."

Start here

Begin with Mike Oldfield…

The Killing Fields

The Killing Fields

1984
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Career Arc

Mike Oldfield's discography from 1973 to 2017

1973 1995 2017
Tubular Bells (1973) Hergest Ridge (1974) Mike Oldfield's Single –... (1974) Ommadawn (1975) In Dulci Jubilo / On Hors... (1975) Boxed (1976) Collaborations (1976) Portsmouth / Speak (Tho'... (1976) Cuckoo Song (1977) Take Four (1977) William Tell Overture (1977) Incantations (1978) Platinum (1979) Exposed (1979) Guilty (1979) Blue Peter (1979) QE2 (1980) Impressions (1980) Mike Oldfield's Wonderlan... (1980) Airborn (1980)
Mike Oldfield matters for his ability to reshape the landscape of instrumental music, providing an immersive experience that invites listeners into intricate sonic worlds.
Mike Oldfield matters for his ability to reshape the landscape of instrumental music, providing an immersive experience that invites listeners into intricate sonic worlds. His work transcends traditional boundaries, influencing generations of musicians to embrace a holistic approach to composition that values atmosphere as much as melody, encouraging audiences to explore the emotional depths of sound. Oldfield's process often involves layering diverse instrumental textures and motifs, creating expansive soundscapes that evolve over time. This meticulous construction allows him to weave elements from various traditions, particularly Celtic influences and ambient styles, into a cohesive whole. It’s not just about showcasing technical proficiency; it’s about crafting a journey that can carry listeners through moments of introspection and transcendence. Lyrically minimal but rich in emotion, Oldfield's themes often explore the intricacies of human experience, nature, and spirituality. His storytelling leans toward the impressionistic, utilizing instrumentation to convey feelings rather than direct narratives. This creates an inviting space for interpretation while maintaining a sense of sincerity throughout his work.

Full discography

Mike Oldfield's albums in order, from earliest releases to latest.

97 releases • 52 albums • 2 EPS • 1973–2017
Type:

Albums ()

Return to Ommadawn album by Mike Oldfield

Return to Ommadawn

2017

The 1984 Suite album by Mike Oldfield

The 1984 Suite

2016

The Best of 1992–2003 album by Mike Oldfield

The Best of 1992–2003

2015

Man on the Rocks album by Mike Oldfield

Man on the Rocks

2014

Moonlight Shadow – The Collection album by Mike Oldfield

Moonlight Shadow – The Collection

2013

Tubular Beats album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Beats

2013

Two Sides – The Very Best of Mike Oldfield album by Mike Oldfield

Two Sides – The Very Best of Mike Oldfield

2012

Icon album by Mike Oldfield

Icon

2012

The Mike Oldfield Collection 1974–1983 album by Mike Oldfield

The Mike Oldfield Collection 1974–1983

2009

Tubular Bells 2009 album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells 2009

2009

Music of the Spheres album by Mike Oldfield

Music of the Spheres

2008

The Platinum Collection album by Mike Oldfield

The Platinum Collection

2006

Light + Shade album by Mike Oldfield

Light + Shade

2005

Tubular Bells 2003 album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells 2003

2003

The Complete Tubular Bells album by Mike Oldfield

The Complete Tubular Bells

2003

Tr3s Lunas album by Mike Oldfield

Tr3s Lunas

2002

Collection album by Mike Oldfield

Collection

2002

The Best of Tubular Bells album by Mike Oldfield

The Best of Tubular Bells

2001

The Art in Heaven Concert album by Mike Oldfield

The Art in Heaven Concert

2000

Guitars album by Mike Oldfield

Guitars

1999

The Millennium Bell album by Mike Oldfield

The Millennium Bell

1999

Tubular Bells III Live album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells III Live

1998

Tubular Bells III album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells III

1998

XXV: The Essential album by Mike Oldfield

XXV: The Essential

1997

Voyager album by Mike Oldfield

Voyager

1996

The Songs of Distant Earth album by Mike Oldfield

The Songs of Distant Earth

1994

Elements Box album by Mike Oldfield

Elements Box

1993

Elements – The Best of Mike Oldfield album by Mike Oldfield

Elements – The Best of Mike Oldfield

1993

Elements album by Mike Oldfield

Elements

1993

Tubular Bells II Live album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells II Live

1992

Tubular Bells II album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells II

1992

Amarok album by Mike Oldfield

Amarok

1990

Collector's Edition Box album by Mike Oldfield

Collector's Edition Box

1990

A Virgin Compilation album by Mike Oldfield

A Virgin Compilation

1987

The Complete Mike Oldfield album by Mike Oldfield

The Complete Mike Oldfield

1985

The Killing Fields album by Mike Oldfield

The Killing Fields

1984

Discovery album by Mike Oldfield

Discovery

1984

Crises album by Mike Oldfield

Crises

1983

Music Wonderland album by Mike Oldfield

Music Wonderland

1981

Episodes album by Mike Oldfield

Episodes

1981

QE2 album by Mike Oldfield

QE2

1980

Impressions album by Mike Oldfield

Impressions

1980

Mike Oldfield's Wonderland album by Mike Oldfield

Mike Oldfield's Wonderland

1980

Airborn album by Mike Oldfield

Airborn

1980

Platinum album by Mike Oldfield

Platinum

1979

Exposed album by Mike Oldfield

Exposed

1979

Incantations album by Mike Oldfield

Incantations

1978

Boxed album by Mike Oldfield

Boxed

1976

Collaborations album by Mike Oldfield

Collaborations

1976

Ommadawn album by Mike Oldfield

Ommadawn

1975

Hergest Ridge album by Mike Oldfield

Hergest Ridge

1974

Tubular Bells album by Mike Oldfield

Tubular Bells

1973

EPs ()

The Mike Oldfield EP album by Mike Oldfield

The Mike Oldfield EP

1982

The Singles album by Mike Oldfield

The Singles

1981

Singles ()

Spheres album by Mike Oldfield

Spheres

2008

Surfing album by Mike Oldfield

Surfing

2005

Introduction 2003 album by Mike Oldfield

Introduction 2003

2003

To Be Free album by Mike Oldfield

To Be Free

2002

Thou Art in Heaven album by Mike Oldfield

Thou Art in Heaven

2002

Far Above the Clouds album by Mike Oldfield

Far Above the Clouds

1999

Man in the Rain album by Mike Oldfield

Man in the Rain

1998

Women of Ireland album by Mike Oldfield

Women of Ireland

1997

Let There Be Light album by Mike Oldfield

Let There Be Light

1995

Hibernaculum album by Mike Oldfield

Hibernaculum

1994

The Bell album by Mike Oldfield

The Bell

1993

Tattoo album by Mike Oldfield

Tattoo

1992

Sentinel album by Mike Oldfield

Sentinel

1992

Gimme Back album by Mike Oldfield

Gimme Back

1991

Heaven's Open album by Mike Oldfield

Heaven's Open

1991

(One Glance Is) Holy album by Mike Oldfield

(One Glance Is) Holy

1989

Innocent album by Mike Oldfield

Innocent

1989

Earth Moving album by Mike Oldfield

Earth Moving

1989

Flying Start album by Mike Oldfield

Flying Start

1988

Magic Touch album by Mike Oldfield

Magic Touch

1988

Islands album by Mike Oldfield

Islands

1987

In High Places album by Mike Oldfield

In High Places

1987

Shine album by Mike Oldfield

Shine

1986

Pictures in the Dark album by Mike Oldfield

Pictures in the Dark

1985

Étude album by Mike Oldfield

Étude

1984

To France album by Mike Oldfield

To France

1984

Crime of Passion album by Mike Oldfield

Crime of Passion

1984

Tricks of the Light album by Mike Oldfield

Tricks of the Light

1984

Foreign Affair album by Mike Oldfield

Foreign Affair

1983

Moonlight Shadow album by Mike Oldfield

Moonlight Shadow

1983

Shadow on the Wall album by Mike Oldfield

Shadow on the Wall

1983

Mistake album by Mike Oldfield

Mistake

1982

Family Man album by Mike Oldfield

Family Man

1982

Five Miles Out album by Mike Oldfield

Five Miles Out

1982

Sheba album by Mike Oldfield

Sheba

1980

Guilty album by Mike Oldfield

Guilty

1979

Blue Peter album by Mike Oldfield

Blue Peter

1979

Cuckoo Song album by Mike Oldfield

Cuckoo Song

1977

Take Four album by Mike Oldfield

Take Four

1977

William Tell Overture album by Mike Oldfield

William Tell Overture

1977

Portsmouth / Speak (Tho' You Only Say Farewell) album by Mike Oldfield

Portsmouth / Speak (Tho' You Only Say Farewell)

1976

In Dulci Jubilo / On Horseback album by Mike Oldfield

In Dulci Jubilo / On Horseback

1975

Mike Oldfield's Single – Theme From Tubular Bells album by Mike Oldfield

Mike Oldfield's Single – Theme From Tubular Bells

1974

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Timeline

How their sound evolved over time

Tubular Bells
Tubular Bells (1973)
Hergest Ridge
Hergest Ridge (1974)
Ommadawn
Ommadawn (1975)
Boxed
Boxed (1976)
Collaborations
Collaborations (1976)
Incantations
Incantations (1978)
Platinum
Platinum (1979)
Exposed
Exposed (1979)
QE2
QE2 (1980)
Impressions
Impressions (1980)
Mike Oldfield's Wonderland
Mike Oldfield's Wond... (1980)
Airborn
Airborn (1980)
Music Wonderland
Music Wonderland (1981)
Episodes
Episodes (1981)
The Singles
The Singles (1981)
The Mike Oldfield EP
The Mike Oldfield EP (1982)
Crises
Crises (1983)
The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields (1984)
Discovery
Discovery (1984)
The Complete Mike Oldfield
The Complete Mike Ol... (1985)
A Virgin Compilation
A Virgin Compilation (1987)
Amarok
Amarok (1990)
Collector's Edition Box
Collector's Edition... (1990)
Tubular Bells II Live
Tubular Bells II Liv... (1992)
Tubular Bells II
Tubular Bells II (1992)
Elements Box
Elements Box (1993)
Elements – The Best of Mike Oldfield
Elements – The Best... (1993)
Elements
Elements (1993)
The Songs of Distant Earth
The Songs of Distant... (1994)
Voyager
Voyager (1996)
XXV: The Essential
XXV: The Essential (1997)
Tubular Bells III
Tubular Bells III (1998)
Tubular Bells III Live
Tubular Bells III Li... (1998)
The Millennium Bell
The Millennium Bell (1999)
Guitars
Guitars (1999)
The Art in Heaven Concert
The Art in Heaven Co... (2000)
The Best of Tubular Bells
The Best of Tubular... (2001)
Tr3s Lunas
Tr3s Lunas (2002)
Collection
Collection (2002)
Tubular Bells 2003
Tubular Bells 2003 (2003)
The Complete Tubular Bells
The Complete Tubular... (2003)
Light + Shade
Light + Shade (2005)
The Platinum Collection
The Platinum Collect... (2006)
Music of the Spheres
Music of the Spheres (2008)
The Mike Oldfield Collection 1974–1983
The Mike Oldfield Co... (2009)
Tubular Bells 2009
Tubular Bells 2009 (2009)
Two Sides – The Very Best of Mike Oldfield
Two Sides – The Very... (2012)
Icon
Icon (2012)
Tubular Beats
Tubular Beats (2013)
Moonlight Shadow – The Collection
Moonlight Shadow – T... (2013)
Man on the Rocks
Man on the Rocks (2014)
The Best of 1992–2003
The Best of 1992–200... (2015)
The 1984 Suite
The 1984 Suite (2016)
Return to Ommadawn
Return to Ommadawn (2017)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mike Oldfield sound like?

Rhythmic patterns pulse beneath layers of shimmering tones, creating a dense tapestry that shifts steadily yet leaves ample room for reflection. Rooted in classical and pop rock. Start with Ommadawn.

What is the best Mike Oldfield album to start with?

The best album to start with is "Ommadawn" (1975). It's the most representative of what makes Mike Oldfield worth hearing.

Who is Mike Oldfield for?

If you're into classical and pop rock, Mike Oldfield is worth your time. Rhythmic patterns pulse beneath layers of shimmering tones, creating a dense tapestry that shifts steadily yet leaves ample room for reflection.

How many albums does Mike Oldfield have?

Mike Oldfield has 97 releases in their discography, including 52 albums and 2 EPs.

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