Susan Boyle's debut album soars to No. 1

Susan Boyle's debut album has shot straight in at number one in the UK albums chart.

I Dreamed A Dream has sold over 410,000 copies since its release on Monday, making it the fastest-selling album of the year so far.

The Britain's Got Talent winner has broken the record for the biggest first-week sales for a UK debut album, beating Leona Lewis's Spirit and Arctic Monkeys's Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. She is also in the top five for the biggest first-week sales in general.

Boyle described the news as "fantastic", while Simon Cowell said: "I'm incredibly proud of Susan and delighted for her. This success couldn't have happened to a more deserving person."

Martin Talbot from the Official Charts Company added: "Susan Boyle's achievement is quite phenomenal. After all of the excitement surrounding her appearance on Britain's Got Talent, everyone expected her to make a big impact when she released her first music - but to arrive with such a bang is exceptional."

Elsewhere in the chart, Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster reached number seven, but Rihanna's Rated R failed to make the top ten and charted at number 16.

Last week's number one, Leona Lewis's Echo, dropped to number five, while Robbie Williams's Reality Killed The Video Star fell five places to number nine.

The top ten albums in full:

1. (-) Susan Boyle: 'I Dreamed A Dream'

2. (2) JLS: 'JLS'

3. (5) Black Eyed Peas: 'The E.N.D.'

4. (3) Queen: 'Absolute Greatest'

5. (1) Leona Lewis: 'Echo'

6. (6) Michael Bublé: 'Crazy Love'

7. (-) Lady Gaga: 'The Fame Monster'

8. (7) Snow Patrol: 'Up To Now'

9. (4) Robbie Williams: 'Reality Killed The Video Star'

10. (9) Will Young: 'The Hits'