David Bowie's new single has shot to the top of the iTunes chart in his native U.K. just hours after it was released.

The reclusive singer unveiled the track Where Are We Now? on Tuesday (08Jan13), the day of his 66th birthday, and also announced plans for an upcoming album.

The song and its accompanying video were released online - and hours after its debut it had overtaken artists including Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars and Rihanna to claim the number one slot on the British iTunes chart.

Bowie's new album, titled The Next Day, is due to hit stores in March (13).