Written by American John Williams, who composed the music for the three earlier Star Wars films, the album was released in the UK on Monday.

Midweek sales show The Phantom Menace album at number four in the charts. If its success continues it could become biggest classical album since the Titanic soundtrack took composer James Horner to number one.

Simon Winter of the HMV chain said: "A lot of the real Star Wars fans went out to buy the soundtrack on day one but it should continue to sell well by the weekend.

"When the film is actually released, its sales will increase again dramatically."

The 67-year-old composer Williams conducted the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios to create the latest score.

Williams has also condensed the film's score into a specially created short piece of music, The Duel of the Fates.