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Virgin Records boss Richard Branson claims that the success of the label is down to his goals to 'shake things up a bit', as it celebrates its 40 year anniversary.

After breaking diverse and influential artists including Mike Oldfield, The Sex Pistols and The Spice Girls, Branson reveals how he shunned a 'conservative' approach to the industry in a new interview with the BBC.

"I think that to be too conservative you're not going to get anywhere, you need to shake things up a bit," he says in the interview, where he also discusses the humble beginnings of Virgin Records.

"We found this tiny space above a shoe shop on Oxford Street," he tells the BBC. "We opened it up, threw some sleeves up and suddenly there were queues of people down Oxford Street, about two miles down the road, wanting to get into this little shop. It was good feeling."

The anniversary is being marked with a new exhibition featuring classic memorabilia from Virgin Records artists, with the brains behind the new show also speaking out about why the label achieved success success.

"They have always signed artists who have had an impact on the wider cultural sector, rather than just the music sector," says Adrian Shaghnessy, the creative director of the new Virgin Exhibition in London. "A great example of that is the Sex Pistols who offended everyone with their performances on TV and were on the front pages of every tabloid - and then something like Boy George appearing in a dress on Top Of The Pops."