Rock legends The Eagles have beaten Britney Spears to the top of the U.S. album charts just three days after they stunned Britain by doing the same thing there. The group's first studio album in nearly 30 years, Long Road Out Of Eden, was expected to come in a close second to Spears' comeback album Blackout - but the final results weren't even close.

The rock veterans soared to the top of the new Billboard 200 with a staggering 711,000 sales of their new release, while Spears lagged behind with 290,000 sales.

Her new album is Spears' only release not to debut at number one, and, to make matters worse for Spears, the Eagles' new album was only available through Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores - and the band's website.

The group's success marks the first time Billboard officials have allowed an album that is only available through exclusive retailers to appear on their charts.

Previously, titles that were not generally available at retailers were not eligible to appear on The Billboard 200.

Last week's chart-topper, Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride, falls to number three on the new countdown, while rockers Avenged Sevenfold and country singer Josh Turner's new releases debut at four and five respectively.

And the Backstreet Boys might be rethinking comeback plans after their new release, Unbreakable, debuted at seven with just 81,000 sales. The pop group's last album, Never Gone, opened with 291,000 sales in its first week in 2005.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)