It looks like The Beatles single, Love Me Do was always set a chart entry, due to some sneaky sales tactics employed by Brian Epstein, reports Music Week.

"He [Brian Epstein] went and he bought 10,000 copies of 'Love Me Do' and that was in his store room in Whitechapel, because I'd seen them, they were there, 10,000 copies," explained friend and business associate Joe Flannery. The documentary, Love Me Do: The Beatles '62 will be broadcast this Sunday, October 7 at 10.00pm. It celebrates 50 years since the release of the song in October, 1962, and will include Sir Peter Blake, Bob Harris, Gerry Marsden and the Beatles original drummer Pete Best, who was replaced by Ringo Starr. "He [Brian Epstein] found out that we were on tour, he'd look at our gigs, [and say] 'Oh we're playing Sheffield' or 'We're playing Manchester. OK will you just go in this record shop and pick up a few copies [of Love Me Do]? Don't all go in at the same time.' Which we did. I like to think that we did help the Beatles get to number 17."

The Beatles went on to be one of the biggest selling bands of all time, but the news that Epstein boosted sales by as many as 10,000 single-handily may come as an embarrassing revelation to some, but will probably be seen as a funny anecdote on the Liverpudlian band's incredible journey.