Matthew James Aitken, born on August 25, 1956, is an English songwriter and record producer from Astley, Greater Manchester. He is best known as a key member of the renowned songwriting and production team Stock Aitken Waterman, which was active primarily during the 1980s and early 1990s. Alongside Mike Stock and Pete Waterman, Aitken was instrumental in creating a series of hit records, contributing to the sale of over 200 million records worldwide. The trio's work included producing chart-topping songs for artists like Rick Astley, Bananarama, and Kylie Minogue. Some of the popular tracks associated with Aitken include "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive, "Venus" by Bananarama, and "I Should Be So Lucky" by Kylie Minogue. Their studio, known as 'The Hit Factory,' has been commemorated with a blue plaque in Bermondsey, London.