The Beatles 1 album - made up of all the No. 1 tracks from the Fab Four - is the fasting selling album of all time.
Twenty-two million copies have been sold since the album was released last autumn, EMI said yesterday.
The news put the spotlight on EMI's back catalogue, the centrepiece of its new strategy of "aggressive independence". Among icons in its stable are Frank Sinatra, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones.
Head of EMI music publishing Martin Bandier said the Beatles 1 success showed the strength of the company's assets. "You say we can't go on releasing their material ad infinitum," he said. "Why on earth not?"
Mr Brandier said the company's classical stock was also a success, with Maria Callas notching one million sales.
EMI this week unveiled underlying pre-tax profits up 5.7 per cent at £259.3 million (A$707.9 million). Global market share rose 1.6 per cent to 14.1 per cent on the back of a strong performance in the United States, driven by the Beatles 1 album, plus a surprise hit from Coldplay with its Parachutes album.
EMI shares gained 15.25 pence to 454.5 pence as the performance overshadowed continuing disappointed at two failed mergers, first with AOL Time Warner and then Bertelsmann of Germany.
EMI will now concentrate on a new stand alone strategy of exploiting the back catalogue, snapping up smaller rivals, and developing new media sales.
Mr Brandier said EMI was looking at buying two labels. The company could not expand during the merger negotiations as it was trying to keep down its market share to get past regulators.