Beatles set to go platinum

The Beatles' album "offers wider mainstream appeal"

The Beatles' first greatest hits album, 1, looks set to sell 300,000 copies this week to go platinum and chart at number one, according to latest sales figures.

This would make it one of the biggest first week's sales of the year, challenging Robbie Williams for the best first week of 2000.

Williams's Sing When You're Winning set a formidable first week sales target of 313,000 this summer, followed by Oasis on 311,000 for Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants.

Oasis's new live album Familiar To Millions, also released on Monday, is set to chart at number three after managing just 40,600 sales in four days.

The Oasis album was recorded live last summer

The Beatles' 27-song collection sold 152,000 copies in its first three days on sale, making it clear favourite for this Sunday's number one.

The Spice Girls, who lost out to Westlife in a race for the current number one, have seen their sales crumble.

Their album Forever is currently at number two but midweek sales figures suggest Forever will tumble to 12.

Earlier in the week the Beatles were outselling Oasis by almost four to one.

From here on in it will appeal strongly to the gift market

HMV spokesman

The Beatles' collection sold more than 58,000 copies, while the Oasis album sold just 15,264 copies.

An HMV spokesman said: "Although some pundits weren't sure what demand was for the greatest hits package we always thought interest was massive.

"From here on in it will appeal strongly to the gift market and, in our view, will be the best selling album of the Christmas period."

The Oasis album was recorded live at one of the band's Wembley Stadium gigs in July.

It features 18 tracks - on a double CD - covering Oasis songs old and new.

But the album is most significant because of its place in the band's history.

It was recorded in a now memorable - and much publicised - period during which rumours were rife over a suspected split between singer Liam Gallagher and songwriter brother Noel.

US country star LeAnn Rimes is expected to achieve her first number one in the singles chart during a sluggish week for sales.

Her previous best was a number seven in 1998 with How Do I Live.