FOR digital music, this was the holy grail: a band that broke up almost four decades ago, but one that can still sells records in bigger numbers than any other.

And the move of the Beatles — the best-selling pop act of all time — to the legal downloading sphere via the world's biggest music retailer iTunes, instantaneously impacted music's digital landscape.

Second most popular ... Australian fans have snapped up Abbey Road.

Within hours of the unveiling of the deal yesterday Australian time, the Beatles' music began to flood best-selling lists around the world.

Indeed, the iTunes charts are providing music fans and trainspotters an instant, virtual census on just what the most popular Beatles tracks and albums are today.