Mike Oldfield

Obviously commercially motivated, but give the guy credit for waiting 17 years. It is familiar enough that you recognize it as a sequel but different enough to surprise. Found while looking aimlessly for stuff by him, and you could have knocked me over with a feather. Loved it.

The record that started everything, Mike plays all the instruments and it's basically two pieces, originally one on each side of the LP. A rather awful edit of it was used in the movie The Exorcist, which is almost certainly why it became a bestseller. Great fun, irresistibly entertaining,and musically adventurous. And the Magritte-inspired cover was awesome.

Follow-up to Tubular Bells, based on old folk tunes, lacks the original's "Hollywood connection," but still works in every way that counts.

Another one with him playing most of the instruments. The chant that builds at the end of it is really something. This guy was way way out there long before there was anything called New Age.