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"Big Big World"
Single by Emilia Rydberg
from the album Big Big World
Released	17 September 1998 (1998-09-17)
Genre	Pop
Length	3:22
Label	Rodeo Universal
Songwriter(s)	Emilia Rydberg Lasse Anderson
Producer(s)	Urban "Hurb" Eriksson Jørgen "TNT" Møller Günter "Yogi" Lauke
Emilia Rydberg singles chronology
"Big Big World" (1998) "Good Sign" (1999)
Music video
"Big Big World" on YouTube

"Big Big World" is a song by Swedish singer Emilia. It was released on 17 September 1998 as the lead single from the album of the same name and was written by Emilia and Lasse Anderson. The song is about love, with references to the autumn season. The melody opening is based on the Swedish springtime song "Nu grönskar det", which in turn is based on the Peasant Cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.

"Big Big World" was a hit in Europe, where it reached number-one in eight countries and peaked within the top five in several others, but it fared less well in the United States, where it remained at the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100, though it did reach the top 40 on two other Billboard charts. The song was given a Grammis award for "Song of the Year" in 1998 and also won a Rockbjörnen award as "Swedish Song of the Year" in 1998. On 20 September 2017, the song was the topic at SVT's Hitlåtens historia.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Roxanne Blanford wrote that the song is "gentle", arranged as a "pseudo-procession tune", "as if Emilia is taking her first cautious steps toward independence and adulthood." Chuck Taylor from Billboard said that its "magic touch" is "manifested via sheer straightforward simplicity-in performance, production, and message." He noted Emilia's "delicate voice, ripe with vulnerability and hurt, tells of being a big girl in a big world who shouldn't see it as a big deal if her partner leaves her ... but she will miss him much." He also added that "allusions to rain and autumn leaves help set up a perfect visual of stark sadness and loneliness, giving the song a strong seasonal punch." A reviewer from Birmingham Evening Mail stated that "this is another one of those Love It or Hate It records", adding that "its incessant beat and simple rhythm will either drive you mad or drive you to put it on the CD player again...and again."

Daily Record called the song "chirpy". Swedish newspaper Expressen wrote that "Big Big World" is the "big, obvious hit this fall." Göteborgsposten commented that with this song, Emilia "has a big, big hit". Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel said that the 20-year-old vocalist "assumes a sweetly fragile persona on the song, setting the mood with a sparse verse and chorus before the track folds in a shuffling beat and an orchestral arrangement." Nina Cassidy from Stanford Daily noted that it "has a catchy beat, and the lyrics and music have a smooth flow." Sunday Tribune called it a "sweet song", while Sunday World described it as a "cracking single". Kerry Gold from The Vancouver Sun deemed it "a song of such easy listening it could double as a nursery rhyme."

Chart performance

"Big Big World" was successful in Europe, reaching the number-one position in 8 countries; Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In Sweden, the song set a record for the fastest-played single on Swedish radio, receiving airplay at least once every 13 minutes. It also topped the Eurochart Hot 100 on 27 February 1999. The single reached number two in Belgium (Wallonia), Denmark, France, Hungary and Italy. It was also a top-10 hit in Finland, Greece, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Outside Europe, "Big Big World" peaked at number three in New Zealand, number 17 in Australia, number 39 in Canada, and number 92 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was awarded with a gold record in France (250,000), New Zealand (5,000) and Switzerland (25,000), silver record in the United Kingdom (200,000), and platinum record in Austria (50,000), Belgium (100,000 (2× Platinum)), Germany (500,000), the Netherlands (75,000), Norway (2× Platinum) and Sweden (90,000 (3× Platinum)).

Music video

The music video for "Big Big World" was recorded in New York City and is shot in black-and-white. It features Emilia wandering around in the city, performing the song at different places. Some scenes show the singer in the crowd of walking people on the street, other scenes shows her sitting on the edge at the top of a 12-storey high house. She is also seen standing in front of a window with a view.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

1. Sebastian Rutgersson (11 February 2008). "Hit med framgång" (PDF) (in Swedish). Linköpings universitet. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
2. "Alla Rockbjörnsvinnare sedan 1979". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
3. "Hitlåtens historia – Big big world" (in Swedish). Swedish mediadatabase. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
4. "Emilia - Big Big World". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
5. Taylor, Chuck (21 November 1998). "Single Reviews: New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. p. 27. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
6. "Single of the Week; SINGLES". Birmingham Evening Mail. 1 December 1998. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
7. "Chart Slot". Daily Record. 18 December 1998. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
8. Expressen. 23 October 1998.
9. Göteborgsposten. 23 October 1998.
10. "Band didn't burn Midnight Oil for this one". Daily News. 23 December 1998. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
11. Cassidy, Nina (21 January 1999). "Emilia 'Big Big World' Music Reviews". Stanford Daily. p. 6. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
12. "Billie She Wants You Virgin This single sees Billie warning her 'man' away from some temptress who's after him.". Sunday Tribune. 13 December 1998. page 36. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
13. "Stunner Emilia's wish comes true". Sunday World. 6 December 1998. page 86. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
14. Gold, Kerry (26 December 1998). "CD Reviews". p. D8. The Vancouver Sun.
15. "The Fastest Growing Record in the History of the Charts". Radio & Records. No. 1274. 13 November 1998. p. 24.
16. Big Big World (European CD single liner notes). Emilia. Rodeo Records, Universal Records. 1998. MCD 87155.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
17. Big Big World (UK CD single liner notes). Emilia. Rodeo Records, Universal Records. 1998. UMD-87190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
18. Big Big World (UK cassette single sleeve). Emilia. Rodeo Records, Universal Records. 1998. UMC-87190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
19. Big Big World (Australian CD single liner notes). Emilia. Rodeo Records, Universal Records. 1998. UMD-87185.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
20. "Emilia – Big Big World". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
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26. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 47. 21 November 1998. p. 22. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
27. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 9. 27 February 1999. p. 18. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
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32. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 10. 6 March 1999. p. 12. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
33. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 305 Vikuna 8.1. – 15.1. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 8 January 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
34. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Big Big World". Irish Singles Chart.
35. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 6. 6 February 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
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44. "Emilia – Big Big World". Swiss Singles Chart.
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48. "Emilia Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
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51. "Single top 100 over 1998" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
52. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1998" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
53. "Årslista Singlar, 1998" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
54. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
55. "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1998 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
56. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1999" (in German). Retrieved 23 June 2019.
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58. "Rapports annuels 1999" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
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60. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1999" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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62. "Single top 100 over 1999" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
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66. "Ultratop Nineties 500: 1-50" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
67. "Austrian single certifications – Emilia – Big Big World" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
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69. "French single certifications – Emilia – Big Big World" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
70. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Emilia; 'Big Big World')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
71. "Dutch single certifications – Emilia – Big Big World" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 23 June 2019. Enter Big Big World in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1998 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
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77. "Big Reaction at CHR for Universal's Emilia". Radio & Records. No. 1274. 13 November 1998. p. 33. The single reached the gold sales mark six days after its release. The song was certified gold in Sweden on 23 September, which means it was released on 17 September.
78. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 28 November 1998. p. 28.
79. "ビッグ・ビッグ・ワールド | エミリア" [Big Big World | Emilia] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 6 October 2023.

• 1998 songs
• 1998 debut singles
• Black-and-white music videos
• Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
• Emilia Rydberg songs
• European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
• Number-one singles in Austria
• Number-one singles in Germany
• Number-one singles in Norway
• Number-one singles in Spain
• Number-one singles in Sweden
• Number-one singles in Switzerland
• Songs written by Emilia Rydberg
• Songs written by Lasse Anderson
• Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles
• Universal Music Group singles
• Universal Records singles