60 Years of Challenge

Who would've thought Tubular Bells, a 49-minute prog symphony, could kickstart the career of a famous billionaire? This 40th birthday celebration of Richard Branson's baby spans two discs (plus a six-track bonus disc), and at its very heart there is, as the liner notes state, "a desire to challenge conceptions and be risk-takers". Post-1977, the danger appears to have petered out – in fact there's something a little Jeremy Clarkson about this drivetime-pop pick'n'mix. But there is always that lustrous Virgin sheen, a cinematic ostentation to the music – from Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight through Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy to Air's Sexy Boy. Its latter half – the economy-saving Emeli Sandé, the new EDM overlords – does prompt the question: will we be listening to Deadmau5 in 40 years? Probably not. But will Virgin still be releasing hit records? Absolutely yes.