The first Download Chart has been topped by the 1999 song 'Flying Without Wings', which Irish boyband Westlife re-released especially for the occasion.
The chart appeared on BBC Radio 1 last night and is based on figures from major legal downloading services, including iTunes, Napster, MyCokeMusic, HMV, Virgin, Tiscali Music, and Wanadoo.
It has been compiled from the sale of permanently owned, single-track downloads and does not include streamed downloads, subscriptions nor free music downloads.
Virgin Radio has muscled in on the launch of the download chart by running a rival version on the weekend, compiled from Napster figures. It was topped by Maroon 5's single 'She Will Be Loved', which appeared at number three on the Official Chart, compiled by the Official Charts Company.
Some commentators are predicting that it could be the beginning of the end for the traditional top 40, but at the moment it spells good news for the music industry, which has seen singles sales plummet in recent years.
However, with the arrival of legal download sites like iTunes and Napster, 2m legal downloads have been sold since January this year in the UK alone.
Sales are set to rise as more players enter the market. Microsoft is launching its own music download store today, following in lead of Apple's iTunes which, along with the Apple iPod, have proved to be a profitable new area of business for the company.
The First Official UK Download Chart Top 10
1 Flying Without Wings -- Westlife
2 Blazin' Day -- Blazin' Squad
3 She Will Be Loved -- Maroon 5
4 Lola's Theme -- Shapeshifters
5 American Idiot -- Green Day
6 This Love -- Maroon 5
7 Dry Your Eyes -- The Streets
8 Bedshaped -- Keane
9 Laura -- Scissor Sisters
10 Apocalypse Please -- Muse
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