VIRGIN Records, the British record company that helped launch the international careers of The Mighty Diamonds and Shaggy, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

The label was founded in 1973 by Richard Branson, now listed as one of the world’s wealthiest businessmen.

Branson has assembled a formidable team to produce a series of events marking the milestone, including four shows at the KOKO venue in London.

A double compact disc with some of the best known songs produced by Virgin over the years, will be released. So too 40 compilation albums containing landmark recordings released by Virgin and its subsidiaries which include the reggae labels, Caroline and Front Line.

By the mid-1970s, Virgin had established itself in the British music industry, releasing albums by cutting-edge acts like Mike Oldfield and The Sex Pistols.

Branson signed several reggae acts to Virgin late that decade, including The Mighty Diamonds, Johnny Clarke and Gregory Isaacs.

The company also distributed noted albums such as Peter Tosh’s Legalize It and Black Uhuru’s self-titled set in the United Kingdom.

In the 1990s, Virgin enjoyed its greatest commercial success with albums by Janet Jackson and novelty acts like the Spice Girls.

Shaggy’s 1998 platinum album Boombastic was distributed by Virgin, while Beenie Man’s Art and Life won the company a Best Reggae Album Grammy Award in 2001.