Scotty McCreery sets chart record with 'I Love You This Big'

Scotty McCreery set a country chart record with 'I Love You This Big' landing at #32 - the highest
ranking of an artist on his/her first try.

Lauren Alaina landed at #49.

Scotty is flirting with a Top 10 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 next week, while Lauren could land in the Top 20.

Congratulations!

From Billboard:

After winning the 10th season of "American Idol" Wednesday (May 25), Scotty McCreery blasts onto Billboard's Nielsen BDS-based Country Songs chart at No. 32 with coronation track "I Love You This Big."

The bow marks the highest for a brand new artist's first single since the chart converted to BDS data the week of Jan. 20, 1990.

Among new artists (unaccompanied by established acts), another musical reality program champion previously held the mark for highest Country Songs launch on an initial try. Brad Cotter, winner of the second season of "Nashville Star," charged in at No. 42 with "I Meant To" the week of May 22, 2004. The song peaked at No. 35 that August.

McCreery isn't the only "Idol" finalist from this season to translate four months of exposure on the series to a Country Songs appearance. Runner-up Lauren Alaina likewise bows at No. 49 with "Like My Mother Does." The 16-year-old also premiered her ballad on last Tuesday's finale showdown against McCreery.

The airplay for "Big" and "Like" will further fuel the songs' expected debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 to be released Thursday (June 2) on Billboard.com. As previously reported, McCreery's song could flirt with a top 10 entrance, while Alaina's could arrive in the top 20, thanks primarily to strong first-week digital sales sums.