Idol hero Scotty McCreery makes album chart history in the U.S.

Reigning American Idol champion Scotty Mccreery has made chart history by becoming the first country artist to debut an album at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Having just turned 18, he's also the youngest male artist to enter the countdown at the top with a debut, beating Omarion - who charted with O in 2005 - by two years.

McCreery's new album Clear as Day has opened with 197,000 sales, making him the first American Idol winner since 2003 to hit number one with their first release.

Ironically, his success comes just days after the last Idol winner, Lee DeWyze, was dropped by his record label.

Elsewhere on the new chart Adele's 21 and Tony Bennett's Duets II both move up a spot to two and three respectively.

Lady Antebellum's We Own the Night returns to the top five at four and last week's number one, J. Cole's Cole World: The Sideline Story, drops to five.

Also new to the top 10: Feist's Metals at seven and Take a Back Road by Rodney Atkins at eight.