City of Stars

{{Infobox song

| name = City of Stars

| cover = File:City of Stars - Hollywood Remix.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Hollywood remix cover

| type = single

| artist = Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone

| album = La La Land: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

| released = March 3, 2017

| recorded = 2016

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Show tunes|jazz pop}}

| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=25}}

| label = Interscope

| composer = Justin Hurwitz

| lyricist = {{hlist|Benj Pasek|Justin Paul}}

| producer = {{hlist|Justin Hurwitz|Marius de Vries}}

| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|GTWqwSNQCcg|"City of Stars"}}}}

}}

"City of Stars" is a song performed by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in the film La La Land (2016). The music of the song was composed by Justin Hurwitz while the lyrics were provided by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/awards/listen-to-city-of-stars-from-the-la-la-land-soundtrack-arriving-dec-9-1201920139/|title=Listen to 'City of Stars' From the 'La La Land' Soundtrack, Arriving Dec. 9|access-date=January 9, 2017|date=November 17, 2016|work=Variety|first=Kristopher|last=Tapley}} The song won numerous awards, including the award for Best Original Song at both the 74th Golden Globe Awards and 89th Academy Awards.

Another version of the song was also released as a 'Hollywood remix' but was not used in the original film.{{cite web|url=https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nVCeXaGzXvoT5CRA5KCZXSagyMuVYuOjI|title=Hollywood Remix of 'City of Stars'|work=YouTube Music}} "City of Stars" was released as a single in Italy on March 3, 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.earone.it/news/ryan_gosling_emma_stone_city_of_stars_radio_date_03_03_2017_22585287/|title=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone - City of Stars (Radio Date: 03-03-2017)|language=it|date=February 27, 2017|first=Giorgia|last=Aldi|publisher=EarOne|access-date=December 20, 2023}}

Context

In the film, the song is first sung by Gosling alone as the character of Sebastian as he sings and dances on the Hermosa Beach Pier. Later in the film, it is reprised by Sebastian and Mia (Stone) during a montage of him getting ready to tour with Keith's (John Legend) band, as well as Mia quitting her job at a coffee shop and renting out a theater for her one-woman play.

Inspiration

Justin Hurwitz, the composer of the song, discussed the writing of the song:{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/awards/la-la-land-composer-justin-hurwitz-songs-1201849249/|title='La La Land' Composer Justin Hurwitz Details the Film's Songwriting Process|first=Kristopher|last=Tapley|access-date=January 14, 2017|date=August 31, 2016|work=Variety}}

{{quote|[The song] started at the piano with me just working on demos for Damien, sending him ideas until something really sparked. It's so funny that that and "Audition" are the two songs that people seem to be responding to the most, at least so far, because they had similar processes in the sense that they had probably the least amount of fussing at the piano demo stage. [...] I was just composing it from an emotional place and thinking about the tone. I would say the tone is hopeful, but melancholy at the same time. And it kind of goes back-and-forth between cadencing in major and cadencing in minor, because I think that’s kind of what the song is about. You have these great moments and then you have these less great moments in life and in Los Angeles and we see it happen in the story. I was thinking about that idea a little bit and just trying to compose a melody that I thought was shapely and beautiful. I guess it has some jazz inflections, because it’s something Sebastian plays on the piano.}}

Music video

The music video was uploaded to YouTube channel on April 17, 2017, and has gained more than 31 million views as of April 2024.

Accolades

class="wikitable" style="width:75%;"

|+ Accolades for "City of Stars"

style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! colspan="5" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Awards

style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Award

! Date of ceremony

! Category

! Result

! Ref.

Hollywood Music in Media Awards

| November 17, 2016

| Best Song – Feature Film

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2016/11/hollywood-music-in-media-awards-justin-timberlake-alexandre-desplat-trent-reznot-1201857357/ |title=Justin Timberlake & Alexandre Desplat Among Winners At Hollywood Music In Media Awards |date=18 November 2016 |publication-place=Deadline |publication-date=November 18, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2016}}{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/la-la-land-hollywood-music-in-media-nominations-1201907464/ | title='La La Land' Scores Three Hollywood Music in Media Nominations | work=Variety | date=November 2, 2016 | access-date=November 3, 2016 |author=McNary, Dave}}

Critics' Choice Awards

| December 11, 2016

| Best Song

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|title=La La Land Leads with 12 Nominations for the 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards |url=http://www.criticschoice.com/critics-choice-awards |publisher=Critics' Choice |date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=December 1, 2016}}

St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association

| December 18, 2016

| Best Song

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web |url=http://www.stlfilmcritics.org/awards |title=2016 StLFCA Annual Award Nominations |publisher=St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association |date=December 12, 2016 |access-date=December 12, 2016}}

Houston Film Critics Society

| January 6, 2017

| Best Original Song

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web |url=https://movieawardsplus.com/2016/12/13/houston-film-critics-nominations/ |title=Houston Film Critics Nominations for 2016 Films |publisher=MovieAwardsPlus.com |date=December 13, 2016 |access-date=December 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220202407/https://movieawardsplus.com/2016/12/13/houston-film-critics-nominations/ |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/12/13/houston-film-critics-society-nominations-nice-guys-rebecca-hall-get-deserved-boost/ |title=Houston Film Critics Society Nominations – 'The Nice Guys' and Rebecca Hall Get a Deserved Boost |publisher=AwardsCircuit.com |date=December 13, 2016 |access-date=December 15, 2016 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220151632/http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/12/13/houston-film-critics-society-nominations-nice-guys-rebecca-hall-get-deserved-boost/ |url-status=dead }}

Golden Globe Awards

| January 8, 2017

| Best Original Song

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/golden-globes-nominees-2017-list-955075 |title=Golden Globes 2017: The Complete List of Nominations |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=December 12, 2016|access-date=December 12, 2016}}

Satellite Awards

| February 19, 2017

| Best Original Song

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2016-satellite-awards-nominees-listed-includes-moonlight-la-la-land-950935|title=Satellite Awards Nominees Revealed|last=Kilday|first=Gregg|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 29, 2016|access-date=November 29, 2016}}

Academy Awards

| February 26, 2017

| Best Original Song

| {{Won}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=http://www.goldderby.com/article/2017/oscar-nominees-list-academy-awards-nominations-2017/

|title=Oscar nominees list: 2017 Academy Award nominations |first=Paul |last=Sheehan

|work=GoldDerby |date=January 24, 2017 |access-date=January 24, 2017}}

Grammy Award

| January 28, 2018

| Best Song Written for Visual Media

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web | url=http://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/60th-grammy-awards-full-nominees-list#Music-For-Visual-Media| title=60th GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees List| publisher=Grammys |access-date=28 November 2017}}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\| Greece Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite web\|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2017-02-04/greece \|title=Greece Digital Song Sales, 4 February 2017 \|publisher=billboard.com \|access-date=3 February 2017}} \| 3
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+Weekly chart performance for "City of Stars" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{singlechart\|Austria\|68\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 9, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Flanders\|30\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 11, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Wallonia Tip\|20\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 4, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Canada\|89\|artist=Ryan Gosling\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 7, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|France\|44\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 30, 2023}}
scope="row"\| Hong Kong (Metro Radio){{cite web\|url=http://www.metroradio.com.hk/997/Music/Chart/International.aspx\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217125316/http://www.metroradio.com.hk/997/Music/Chart/International.aspx\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=February 17, 2017\|title=Metro Radio Chart (International) - Week: 6\|work=Metro Broadcast Corporation\|access-date=February 11, 2017}} \| 1
{{singlechart\|Hungarysingle\|8\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|year=2017\|week=1\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 13, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Ireland3\|57\|artist=Ryan Gosling\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 30, 2023}}
scope="row"\| Italy (FIMI){{cite web\|url=https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/classifiche.kl#/charts/3/2017/6\|title=Classifica settimanale WK 6\|publisher=Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana\|language=it\|access-date=April 30, 2023}} \| 51
scope="row"\|Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard){{cite web\|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=d_and_a_overseas&year=2017&month=03&day=13\|title=Billboard Japan Hot Overseas\|language=ja\|publisher=Billboard Japan\|date=13 March 2017\|access-date=8 March 2017}} \| 2
scope="row"\|Japan Radio Songs (Billboard){{cite web\|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=radio_songs&year=2017&month=03&day=13\|title=Billboard Japan Radio Songs\|language=ja\|publisher=Billboard Japan\|date=13 March 2017\|access-date=8 March 2017\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308221534/http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=radio_songs&year=2017&month=03&day=13\|archive-date=8 March 2017\|url-status=dead}} \| 1
{{singlechart\|Portugal\|45\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 9, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Scotland\|29\|date=20170127\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 28, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Spain\|14\|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 2, 2017}}
scope="row"\|South Korea International Chart (Gaon){{cite web \| url = http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2016&targetTime=51&nationGbn=E \| publisher = Gaon Chart \| title = Gaon Digital Chart – Issue date: 2016.12.11 – 2016.12.17 \| access-date = February 16, 2017}} \| 2
{{singlechart\|Switzerland\|48\|artist=Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone\|song=City of Stars\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 6, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|UK\|53\|date=20170120\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 28, 2017}}
{{singlechart\|Billboardbubbling100\|8\|artist=Ryan Gosling\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 25, 2017}}
scope="row"\|US Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{Cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ryan-gosling-mark-ronson-tease-im-just-ken-holiday-version-1235561362/\|title=Ryan Gosling & Mark Ronson Tease 'I'm Just Ken' Holiday Version\|first=Rania\|last=Aniftos\|magazine=Billboard\|date=December 18, 2023\|access-date=December 20, 2023}} \| 45
scope="row"\|US Jazz Digital Songs (Billboard) Solo version \| 1

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+Year-end chart performance for "City of Stars" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Hungary (Single Top 40){{cite web\|url=http://zene.slagerlistak.hu/archivum/eves-osszesitett-listak/single_db/2017\|title=Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2017\|access-date=17 February 2018\|publisher=Mahasz}} \| 72

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Year-end chart performance for "City of Stars"

! scope="col"| Chart (2017)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Hungary (Single Top 40){{cite web|url=http://zene.slagerlistak.hu/archivum/eves-osszesitett-listak/single_db/2017|title=Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2017|access-date=17 February 2018|publisher=Mahasz}}

| 72

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "City of Stars"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Ryan Gosling|title=City of Stars|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|access-date=July 13, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone|title=City of Stars|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2016|certyear=2023|access-date=September 27, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone|title=City of Stars|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2016|certyear=2018|id=5423|access-date=April 16, 2018}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=Ryan Gosling / Emma Stone|title=City of Stars|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|access-date=January 28, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone|title=City of Stars|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=2016|certyear=2021|id=17544-5735-1|access-date=October 8, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}