Britney Spears' "3" Debuts At #1 On Billboard Hot 100

October 14, 2009 1:42 p.m. EST

Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - Britney Spears is celebrating her third #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, coincidentally with her new single "3." Spears debuts in the top spot with her racy new track this week.

"3" sold over 255,000 downloads this week to also take #1 on the Hot Digital Songs chart. With the #1 debut of "3," Spears becomes the first artist to debut at #1 on the chart in over three years, when Taylor Hicks debuted with "Do I Make You Proud" in July of 2006. Spears might also become the only non-"Idol" artist to have a #1 debut this decade. (Carrie Underwood, Fantasia, and Clay Aiken also earned top debuts.)

The last non-"Idol" debut counted by Billboard is Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" back in November of 1998, when Spears was just hitting the scene with her first #1 single, "..Baby One More Time." Spear's single "Womanizer" also hit #1 on the chart last year.

Spears' #1 hits "3," "Womanizer," and "..Baby One More Time" all appear on her upcoming hits compilation, "The Singles Collection," which hits stores November 24th.