Tubular Bells 2003 (studio album) by Mike Oldfield
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Mike Oldfield bestography
Tubular Bells 2003 is ranked 18th best out of 34 albums by Mike Oldfield on BestEverAlbums.com.
The best album by Mike Oldfield is Tubular Bells which is ranked number 511 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 3,449.
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Tubular Bells 2003 track list
The tracks on this album have an average rating of 77 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).
Tubular Bells 2003 rankings
All 10 charts that this album appears in:
Year | Source | Chart | Rank | Rank Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | ![]() | Top 80 Music Albums of 2003 | 9/80 | 5 |
2025 | fabm0 | List 2003 Pt 2 | 15/29 | - |
2025 | ![]() | Tubular Bells | 2/19 | - |
2024 | iancrockert141 | Top 30 Music Albums of 2003 | 20/30 | 2 |
2023 | ![]() | Top 10 Music Albums of 2003 | 6/10 | 3 |
2022 | ![]() | Top 68 Music Albums of 2003 | 64/68 | 0 |
2020 | ![]() | Top 40 Music Albums of 2003 | 37/40 | 1 |
2018 | ![]() | Top 100 Music Albums of 2003 | 72/100 | 1 |
2017 | ![]() | Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | 32/100 | 14 |
2017 | ![]() | Top 50 Music Albums of 2003 | 18/50 | 3 |
Total Charts: The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. | 10 | |||
Total Rank Score: The total rank score. | 28 |
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!
Tubular Bells 2003 collection
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Tubular Bells 2003 ratings

where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
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Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 17 ratings for this album.
Rating | Date updated | Member | Album ratings | Avg. album rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
50/100 ![]() | 03/04/2025 11:50 | fabm0 | ![]() | 59/100 |
60/100 ![]() | 09/17/2024 03:25 | dhbarrett | ![]() | 65/100 |
70/100 ![]() | 01/23/2023 15:09 | ![]() | ![]() | 62/100 |
95/100 ![]() | 07/20/2022 02:19 | ![]() | ![]() | 72/100 |
90/100 ![]() | 09/09/2020 21:23 | ![]() | ![]() | 67/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)
This album is rated in the top 9% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 74.9/100, a mean average of 76.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 76.5/100. The standard deviation for this album is 13.6.
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Tubular Bells 2003 comments
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Good.

Edit update
“Viv Stanshell is 100% IRREPLACEABLE % “
An interesting update to Mike Oldfield's groundbreaking 1973 debut album. As has been noted here, Oldfield wanted to fix the faults he always felt the original suffered from - a result of recording it quickly, and with limited equipment. The result is a far better produced album, and with a good deal going for it. The elements are all still here, with a brighter sound and more of a twinkle throughout. Headphones work particularly well. I share the opinion that there is some of the charm lost from the original album, however - the rough-and-ready feel of it is part of what made it a classic. If you're new to Tubular Bells, go for the 1973 version. If you're a fan of that and want to hear what it would sound like produced at the turn of the millennium, give it a whirl. It's a very good album, but it doesn't quite match up to the first time around.

I cant believe no one has commented on this album yet , that be as it may I'm going to
So , the genesis for this release was 2 fold:
(1) Celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the original 'Tubular Bell' release
and
(2) Mike Oldfield wanting to fix what he saw as faults on the original release and in particular some out of tune instruments
So is it any good ? Yes and No
Yes: the production is great on this one , with the tracks sounding bright , sparkling and modern . The tracks pump from a stereo like a house getting a bright lick of paint. Also the entire album is broken down to 17 tracks making it easier to follow
No: the 1973 charm of the original is lost here , and is definitely poorer for it . Also John Cleese has replaced Viv Stanshall and it doesn't work , quite frankly John Cleese sounds too John Cleeseish ! Viv Stanshall is 100% replaceable . Also the "Caveman" section is here but replaced with 2 Cave-people a Male and a Female voice & it just doesn't work
Interesting but stick to the original IMO
60/100
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