Dylan's album at top of US chart

USA Today praised Dylan for his "pointed political commentary"

Bob Dylan has topped the US album charts for the first time in 30 years with his latest release, Modern Times.

Dylan, 65, is now the oldest living person to go straight into the chart at number one.

Already hailed by the critics, the album sold 192,000 copies in its first week, according to music tracking service Nielsen Soundscan.

Modern Times is Dylan's first US number one album since Desire in 1976, which topped the chart for five weeks.

It has also gone to number one in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, according to Columbia.

Well-received

"We couldn't be more thrilled that fans have responded to it so enthusiastically by putting Bob at number one, which is where he belongs," said Steve Barnett, the chairman of Dylan's Columbia Records label.

The album made its debut at number three in the UK album chart - Kasabian went straight in at number one, while Snow Patrol slipped from top spot to number two.

Modern Times, Dylan's first studio album in almost five years, has been hailed as a "masterwork", "enchanting" and "full of prophecy" by impressed US critics.

Rolling Stone described the release as Dylan's "third straight masterwork".

The publication awarded five stars to the album, saying it was "evenly divided between blues ready-mades, old-timey two-steps and stately marches full of prophecy".

Critics at USA Today and music industry weekly Billboard also heaped praise on Dylan's latest effort.