Joss Stone storms into US chart

Stone recently appeared on MTV's Total Request Live in New York

British soul singer Joss Stone's third album has gone straight to number two in the US Billboard album chart.

The album, Introducing Joss Stone, is the highest new entry by a British female artist in US chart history, according to Music Week magazine.

Billboard said it sold 118,000 copies in its first week - 11,000 behind the number one by US rock act Modest Mouse.

Other UK stars making waves in the US include Amy Winehouse at 10, Corinne Bailey Rae at 22 and Lily Allen at 41.

British artists are enjoying renewed success across the Atlantic, with Snow Patrol, James Morrison and The Fratellis also recently featuring in the US chart.

In the US, Stone's previous two albums, The Soul Sessions and Mind, Body and Soul, peaked at 38 and 11 respectively.

Many thanks

But her latest album has fared less well in her home country, where it entered at number 12 before falling to 24.

The 19-year-old singer hit the headlines earlier this month because her album sleeve was too small to thank the hundreds of people who helped and inspired her on her latest record.

The soul star re-directed fans from the sleeve - where credits are usually listed - to her website, where the thank-you note runs to 7,000 words.

Included in the credits are Lauryn Hill, James Brown, footballer Vinnie Jones, her parents, pet dogs and God.

Stone's career took off when she won a BBC talent show at the age of 14.

She later came to the attention of US record executive Steve Greenberg and her debut album, The Soul Sessions, went on to sell 500,000 copies in the US alone.