Hot in the City
{{Use British English|date=October 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Hot in the City
| cover = Hot in the City.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Billy Idol
| album = Billy Idol
| B-side = Hole in the Wall
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = *New wave
- glam rock{{cite book|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Encyclopedia_of_Punk_Rock_and_New_Wave/6I88EQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1|title=Encyclopedia of Punk Rock and New Wave: 1975–1985|date=January 9, 2025|access-date=March 14, 2025|page=1972|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|first1=David|first2=Michael|last1=Luhrssen|last2=Larson}}
| length = 3:38
| label = Chrysalis
| writer = Billy Idol
| producer = Keith Forsey
| prev_title = Mony Mony
| prev_year = 1981
| next_title = White Wedding
| next_year = 1982
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|PinBVYKQGeM|"Hot in the City"}}}}
}}
"Hot in the City" is a song by English rock musician Billy Idol, released in 1982 as the first single from his self-titled debut album. It charted at No. 23 in the US{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-idol-mn0000070800/awards |title=Billy Idol | Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=1955-11-30 |accessdate=2014-04-09}} and No. 58 in the UK. A remix of the song was released in 1987 and reached No. 13 in the UK.
1987 release
The Exterminator Mix of the song was released as a single in the UK on 29 December 1987.{{cite magazine |date=26 December 1987 |title=Xmas News |magazine=Record Mirror |page=9 |issn=0144-5804}} It charted higher in the UK this time round, peaking at No. 13 in early 1988.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/hot%20in%20the%20city%20%7B1988%7D/|title=Hot in the City {1988} | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website=Official Charts}} This version was first released in 1985 on the remix album Vital Idol.
Music video
There are two versions of the video. The first version (the 1982 version) starts off with a girl walking into a record store. She picks up a Billy Idol record and the song starts to play. The video features scenes from New York City, interspersed with stock footage of nuclear bomb tests. The second version (the 1987 version) depicted Idol's girlfriend Perri Lister bound to a cross; it was banned by MTV.[http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/archive/peoplearchive.php/Billy_Idol/biography/ Billy Idol biography] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701113031/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/archive/peoplearchive.php/Billy_Idol/biography |date=1 July 2009 }} The later version was included on the DVD edition of The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself.
Other versions and covers
Although the released version of the song has Idol shouting "New York!", other versions of the song were recorded for various radio stations, including ones for such cities as "Amarillo", "Boston", "Minneapolis", "New Haven", "Phoenix", "Philly", "Chattanooga", and "Sioux Falls", or none at all with a repeated synthesiser stab instead.
Appearances in other media
The song, with a remixed synthesizer intro, was used as the introduction {{cite AV media |url-status = live |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/tH4ySG-KLm8 |archive-date = 2021-12-11| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH4ySG-KLm8 |title = Booker Intro |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} for Booker, the TV series spin-off of 21 Jump Street. It is also featured in the 1988 hit film Big, starring Tom Hanks.
The song was used by the NBA's Phoenix Suns during the introductions of the visiting team at home games during the team's run to the 1993 NBA Finals.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Track listings
- (1982) UK 7" vinyl single
- "Hot in the City"
- "Dead on Arrival"
- (1982) UK 12" vinyl single
- "Hot in the City" (Extended Version)
- "Dead on Arrival"
- (1987) UK 7" vinyl single
- "Hot in the City" (Exterminator Fix)
- "Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)
- (1987) UK 12" vinyl single
- "Hot in the City" (Exterminator Mix)
- "Catch My Fall" (Remix Fix)
- "Soul Standing By"
Chart performance
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| align="left"|Chart (1987–88)
!align="left"|Peak |
|---|
| align="left"|Australia
| style="text-align:center;"|58 |
| align="left"|Belgium
| style="text-align:center;"|26 |
| align="left"|Canada
| style="text-align:center;"|43 |
| Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)
|align="center"|11 |
| align="left"|Netherlands
| style="text-align:center;"|32 |
| align="left"|New Zealand{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/1988-03-18 |title=NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart |website=Nztop40.co.nz |date=1988-03-20 |access-date=2016-10-31}}
| style="text-align:center;"|19 |
| align="left"|Switzerland
| style="text-align:center;"|19 |
| align="left"|UK Singles{{cite book
| first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 266}} | style="text-align:center;"|13 |
| align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|48 |
| align="left"|U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
| style="text-align:center;"|31 |
| align="left"|U.S. Cash Box Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|57 |
- 1Re-released in 1987
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| align="left"|Chart (1982)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |
|---|
| Australia{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-50-singles-1988.htm |title=ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1988 |website=Aria.com.au |date= |accessdate=2016-10-31}}
| style="text-align:center;"|108 |
| New Zealand{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1983-12-31 |title=Top Selling Singles of 1983 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart |website=Nztop40.co.nz |date=1983-12-31 |access-date=2016-10-31}}
| style="text-align:center;"|50 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1982.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |date= |accessdate=2016-10-31}}
| style="text-align:center;"|90 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Billy Idol|title=Hot in the City|award=Gold|source=radioscope|type=single|relyear=1982|certyear=2023|access-date=December 18, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|_4Fb1ccSF5A|Billy Idol - Hot in the City}}
{{Billy Idol}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Billy Idol