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Gotham City (song)#Charts and certifications

{{Short description|1997 single by R. Kelly}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Gotham City

| cover = Gotham City R. Kelly.jpg

| type = single

| artist = R. Kelly

| album = Batman & Robin soundtrack {{noitalic|and}} R. (international release)

| released = June 3, 1997

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

  • R&B
  • soul
  • gospel{{cite magazine|first= Andrew |last= Unterberger |title= The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997: Critic’s Picks|magazine= Billboard |url= https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/greatest-pop-songs-1997-7849063/|date= June 29, 2017|accessdate= January 15, 2025|quote=...but the straight-faced gospel-pop of the patently ridiculous “Gotham City” comes closer to the mark than you might remember...}}
  • pop

| length = {{ubl|4:55 (album and single version)|4:40 (radio edit)}}

| label = {{hlist|Warner Bros.|Jive}}

| writer = Robert Kelly

| producer = R. Kelly

| prev_title = I Believe I Can Fly

| prev_year = 1996

| next_title = Be Careful

| next_year = 1998

}}

"Gotham City" is a song by American R&B singer R. Kelly based on the fictional city of the same name. It was featured on the soundtrack to the film Batman & Robin, and it reached number nine on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles charts. In Europe, the song peaked within the top 10 in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, and within the top 20 in Iceland, Ireland and Scotland. The music video for the song was directed by Hype Williams. A remix version for the song was released featuring rapper Strings with a video also directed by Williams.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard complimented the singer for "his spiritual side, infusing this atmospheric acoustic soul ballad with uplifting lyrics and a choral climax". He noted that "the whole tone and musical texture of this single are markedly different from anything that Kelly has previously recorded. It's a refreshing change that leaves you anticipating the direction he will take on his next album".{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-06-07.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|date=June 7, 1997|access-date=February 6, 2020|page=78|author-link=Larry Flick}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media declared it "a very well-crafted ballad".

Programmer Vranz van Maaren at the Netherlands' leading station, AC outlet Sky 100.7 FM, commented: "In general I am not that R&B-minded but when I first saw the clip I was just blown away and when I contacted the record company (Zomba) they handed me a copy as soon as possible, because they were afraid that I'd change my mind if I found out it was R. Kelly". He also added: "The song is far less R&B than many of his previous efforts, and shows that he's able to broaden his potential audience a great deal without alienating his traditional fan base".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-07-26.pdf|title=Airborne|magazine=Music & Media|page=16|date=July 26, 1997|access-date=December 22, 2019}} Alan Jones from Music Week described it as "a pretty, semi-acoustic ballad not a million miles away from some of the stuff Babyface does. It has a rousing chorus on which Kelly is aided and abetted by the soulful interjections of the Chi-Towne Gospel Machine and Tyrone's Kids. Another smash."{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-06-21.pdf|title=Talking Music|magazine=Music Week|date=June 21, 1997|page=11|accessdate=May 27, 2022}}

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American director Hype Williams.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472896/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_dr#directors|title=R. Kelly: The R. In R&B - the Video Collection (Video 2003) - IMDb|website=IMDb}} It features Kelly driving his motorcycle around New York City. He also passes Times Square. Kelly also drives the Batmobile. Singer Sparkle is featured in video as a dancer. Williams also directed the music video for the remix of the song.{{Cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/hypepaul/hwvideos.html|title = Hype Williams | Videography}}

Track listings

  • "Gotham City"
  1. "Gotham City" (LP version)
  2. "Thank God It's Friday"
  3. "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" (radio version)
  4. "Gotham City" (acapella and music)
  • "Gotham City" remix
  1. "Gotham City" (LP version)
  2. "Gotham City" (remix)
  3. "Gotham City" (acapella and music)
  4. "Gotham City" (instrumental)
  5. "Gotham City" (remix instrumental)

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
Chart (1997)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite Ryan|page=152}}

| style="text-align:center;"|100

{{single chart|Austria|7|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Flanders|27|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Wallonia|26|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)

| style="text-align:center;"|19

scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)

| style="text-align:center;"|37

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-10-11.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100|date=October 11, 1997|access-date=June 21, 2018|magazine=Music & Media}}

| style="text-align:center;"|15

{{single chart|Germany|3|songid=3491|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
scope="row"|Hungary (Mahasz){{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-08-30.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|date=August 30, 1997|page=14|access-date=June 22, 2018}}

| style="text-align:center;"|8

scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite magazine|title=Íslenski Listinn NR. 239 Vikuna 18.9. '97 - 25.9. '97|magazine=Dagblaðið Vísir|page=22|date=September 19, 1997|access-date=April 10, 2018|url=http://timarit.is/files/12664375.pdf#navpanes=1&view=FitH}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

| style="text-align:center;"|18

{{single chart|Ireland2|15|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2022}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|6|year=1997|week=36|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|9|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|20|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Norway|10|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
scope="row"|Scotland (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19970713/41/|title=Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100|publisher=Official Charts Company}}

| style="text-align:center;"|14

{{single chart|Sweden|9|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|9|artist=R. Kelly|song=Gotham City|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|UK|9|date=19970719|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
scope="row"|UK R&B (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-singles-chart/19970727/114/|title=Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40|publisher=Official Charts Company}}

| style="text-align:center;"|3

{{single chart|Billboardhot100|9|artist=R. Kelly|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|9|artist=R. Kelly|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|21|artist=R. Kelly|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|18|artist=R. Kelly|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "Gotham City"

!Chart (1997)

!Position

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-12-27.pdf|title=1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|date=December 27, 1997|access-date=December 20, 2019|magazine=Music & Media}}

|align="center"|68

scope="row"|Germany (Media Control){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1997 |title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1997 |language=de |publisher=GfK Entertainment |access-date=April 17, 2018}}

|align="center"|39

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1997|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1997|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=March 5, 2020}}

|align="center"|36

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1997&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1997|website=dutchcharts.nl|language=nl|access-date=March 5, 2020}}

|align="center"|36

scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=1997&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 1997|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=May 11, 2025}}

|align="center"|56

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1997|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1997|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=March 5, 2020}}

|align="center"|18

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|url=http://hosting1642755.az.pl/sp%20uk%20best%201997.html|title=Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997|language=pl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150604144848/http://hosting1642755.az.pl/sp%20uk%20best%201997.html|archive-date=4 June 2015|access-date=3 July 2025}}

|align="center"|106

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1997 |title=Billboard Top 100 - 1997 |access-date=August 28, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611194337/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1997 |archive-date=June 11, 2009 }}

|align="center"|70

scope="row"|US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard){{Cite web|url=http://www.soulsystem.it/yend.asp?date=31/12/1997|title = R&B Rap Hip-Hop Year-End Charts - 1997 - Soul System}}

|align="center"|62

{{col-end}}

Certifications

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

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=R. Kelly|title=Gotham City|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1998}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Kelly, R.|title=Gotham City|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1997|certyear=1997|salesamount=600,000|salesref={{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76 |title=Best-Selling Records of 1997 |magazine=Billboard|publisher=BPI Communications Inc.|date=January 31, 1998 |access-date=May 31, 2015 |page=76 |issn=0006-2510|volume=110|number=5}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{R. Kelly singles}}

{{Tim Burton's/Joel Schumacher's Batman}}

{{Batman music}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1997 singles

Category:Batman music

Category:Batman (1989 film series) music

Category:Music videos directed by Hype Williams

Category:R. Kelly songs

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Contemporary R&B ballads

Category:Songs written by R. Kelly

Category:Song recordings produced by R. Kelly

Category:1997 songs

Category:Jive Records singles

Category:1990s ballads