Big City Life

"Big City Life" is a song by English electronic music duo Mattafix. With a chorus sung in Jamaican Patois, "Big City Life" was released in August 2005 as the second single from Mattafix's debut album, Signs of a Struggle (2005). The single topped the charts in Austria, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and Switzerland, and it peaked at number 15 in the duo's native United Kingdom. The song's music video was directed by Scott Franklin.^[1]

"Big City Life"
Single by Mattafix
from the album Signs of a Struggle
Released	8 August 2005 (2005-08-08)
Length	3:57
Label	Buddhist Punk
Songwriter(s)	Marlon Roudette Preetesh Hirji
Producer(s)	Mattafix
Mattafix singles chronology
"11.30" (2005) "Big City Life" (2005) "To & Fro" (2006)
Audio
"Big City Life" on YouTube

Track listings

UK CD1[1] "Big City Life" "Big City Life" (Cutfather & Joe) UK CD2[2][3] "Big City Life" – 3:57 "Big City Life" (Cutfather & Joe) – 3:55 "Big City Life" (video) – 3:57 European 7-inch single[2][4] A. "Big City Life" (Sly and Robbie) – 3:56 B. "Big City Life" (Mattafix mix) – 6:11 European 12-inch single[5] A1. "Big City Life" (Solid Groove) A2. "Big City Life" (Cutfather & Joe) B1. "Big City Life" (Mattafix mix) B2. "Big City Life" (Sly and Robbie)

European maxi-CD single[6] "Big City Life" "Big City Life" (Cutfather & Joe) "Big City Life" (Solid Groove) "Big City Life" (Mattafix Mix) "Big City Life" (video) Australian CD single[7] "Big City Life" "Big City Life" (Cutfather & Joe) "Big City Life" (Solid Groove) "Big City Life" (Mattafix mix)

Personnel

Personnel are lifted from the Signs of a Struggle album booklet.^[8]

• Mattafix – instruments, production
  • Marlon Roudette – writing, vocals
  • Preetesh Hirji – writing
• Steve Dubb – additional production and mix
• Segs – additional production and mix

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Big City Life" Chart (2005–2007) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[2] 19 Australian Urban (ARIA)[9] 6 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 19 CIS Airplay (TopHit)[13] 28 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[14] 3 Denmark (Tracklisten)[15] 9 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 12 France (SNEP)[18] 18 Germany (GfK)[19] 1 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[20] 9 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[21] 12 Italy (FIMI)[22] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 84 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[25] 3 Russia Airplay (TopHit)[26] 18 Scotland (OCC)[27] 12 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 17 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[30] 15 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[31] 7

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Big City Life" Chart (2005) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 50 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 60 CIS (TopHit)[34] 198 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[35] 99 Italy (FIMI)[36] 6 New Zealand (RIANZ)[37] 16 Russia Airplay (TopHit)[38] 156 Sweden (Hitlistan)[39] 96 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 98 UK Singles (OCC)[41] 192 Chart (2006) Position Australian Urban (ARIA)[42] 30 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[43] 4 CIS (TopHit)[44] 60 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[45] 15 Germany (Media Control GfK)[46] 7 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[47] 59 Italy (FIMI)[48] 36 Russia Airplay (TopHit)[49] 47 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[50] 7 Decade-end charts Decade-end chart performance for "Big City Life" Chart (2000–2009) Position Germany (Official German Charts)[51] 58 Russia Airplay (TopHit)[52] 200

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Big City Life"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[53]	Gold	15,000*
Germany (BVMI)[54]	Platinum	300,000^
Italy (FIMI)[55]	Gold	25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[56]	Gold	5,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[57]	Platinum	40,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Big City Life"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	8 August 2005	7-inch vinyl CD	Buddhist Punk	[58]
Australia	13 February 2006	CD		[59]

Luude version

"Big City Life"
Single by Luude and Mattafix
Released	17 June 2022 (2022-06-17)
Genre	Drum and bass[60]
Length	2:26
Label	Sweat It Out
Songwriter(s)	Marlon Roudette Preetesh Hirji
Producer(s)	Luude
Luude and Mattafix singles chronology
"Down Under" (2021) "Big City Life" (2022) "Oh My" (2023)

In 2022, Australian producer Luude was approached by Mattafix to remix "Big City Life" as a drum and bass track.^[60] The song was released on 17 June 2022 and reached the top 10 on the Official New Zealand Singles Chart.^[61]

At the 2023 ARIA Music Awards, the song was nominated for Song of the Year.^[62]

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Big City Life" by Luude and Mattafix

Chart (2022–2023)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[63]	55
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[64]	19
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[65]	54
Germany (GfK)[66]	67
Ireland (IRMA)[67]	30
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[68]	2
UK Singles (OCC)[69]	8
UK Dance (OCC)[70]	4

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Big City Life" by Luude and Mattafix

Chart (2022)	Position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[71]	31
UK Singles (OCC)[72]	65

Certifications

Certifications for "Big City Life" by Luude and Mattafix

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[73]	2× Platinum	140,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[74]	Gold	15,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[75]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[76]	Platinum	600,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.