Never Gonna Give You Up Was Rick Astleys Biggest Song, But How Did The Singer Really Feel A
Highlights
- Rick Astley's hit single "Never Gonna Give You Up" brought him fame and success, but he may not necessarily love the song as much as his fans do.
- Despite being labeled as a one-hit wonder, "Never Gonna Give You Up" continues to be popular and brings joy to people who hear it.
- Astley acknowledges that the song is cheesy and corny but appreciates its enduring popularity and the impact of the internet in making it a viral sensation through Rickrolling.
Having a hit single can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, bands and musicians hope that at least one of their songs will resonate with fans. Of course, the money doesn't hurt, either. But on the other hand, they want a long career and hope to be known for more than just one tune. Then there is the issue of the one-hit wonder. While there are one-hit wonders who are millionaires, it can still be tough to accept this label.
Rick Astley has been making music since the 1980s and has released eight albums, including 2018's "Beautiful Life." Still, it would be tough for most people to recognize any of his songs beyond "Never Gonna Give You Up." While this song brought him fame and allowed him to make a living doing what he loves, it's possible that Rick Astley doesn't really love it.
How Successful Was Rick Astley's Hit Single "Never Gonna Give You Up"?
Some one-hit wonders went viral on TikTok. Others are played on the radio from time to time. Every time someone hears one of these older songs, it can be a real trip down memory lane. "Never Gonna Give You Up" is the kind of song that makes people smile and laugh when they hear it again.
On December 19th, 1987, the song appeared on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. It stayed on the chart for 24 weeks, which was impressive. It was number one on March 12th, 1988.
It's impossible to talk about "Never Gonna Give You Up" without thinking about the 2000s prank of "Rickrolling". It must have been strange for Rick Astley to realize that people were using his biggest song in this way. According to Smooth Radio, Rick Astley talked about it to The Times and had a sense of humor about the situation. He said, "It's a bit strange to have videos of when you were a young guy out on the internet. It makes me laugh - I'm sure it annoys a lot of other people. It's a bit spooky."
Smooth Radio reported that when people wanted to watch the trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV on the forum 4Chan, they were shown the video for "Never Gonna Give You Up." This is how it all started.
However, while Rickrolling was everywhere, it didn't make Astley rich. Mental Floss reported that as of 2010, he was paid $12. This is because he doesn't have a songwriting credit on "Never Gonna Give You Up."
Rick Astley has a $16 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The publication reported that the singer might have been paid $2 million because the song had more than one billion YouTube views. It seems that the tune has made Astley a good living over the years. After all, the song hit number one in 25 different countries when it was released in 1987.
What Does Rick Astley Really Think Of "Never Gonna Give You Up"?
Many singers have a complicated relationship with their one-hit wonders. It sounds like Rick Astley does, too. While it doesn't seem like he hates "Never Gonna Give You Up," he admits that the song is pretty corny.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, he said, “If I was a young kid now looking at that song, I’d have to say I’d think it was pretty naff, really.” The publication mentioned that "naff" is a British word that means "tacky" or "cheesy."
When speaking to Mashable, Astley sounded surprised that "Never Gonna Give You Up" is still popular, all of these years later. He appreciates that people still listen to the song and talk about him.
He said of the song's Rickrolling popularity, "To be honest, we've actually had discussions in different meetings where we've had people trying to identify why they think it happened and why it kind of kicked off and, you know, even I get asked quite regularly about why I think that song persists and why does it hang around. There isn't a reason."
He continued to Mashable, "There is no logical way to explain the success of the song, but that's the beauty of the power of the internet. I think that it's not necessarily always in the hands of record labels and corporations where people who are the big cheeses of the world can stick stuff on the internet and things can blow up. There's no reason for it - it just does - and that's how amazing it is!"
When talking to Smashing Interviews in 2018, Rick Astley said something that many artists can likely relate to. He explained that it was good to take a hiatus from his career. After his album "Body & Soul" came out in 1993, he didn't put out another album until 2001's "Keep It Turned On." He waited a few years, released 2005's "Portrait," and then didn't have another album until "50" in 2016.
The singer also married Lene Bausager in 2003 and they have a daughter named Emilie Astley, who is now 31 years old. It's nice that he was able to have a regular life with his family and also balance his music career. While his most popular song came out in the late '80s, Astley has still enjoyed success in recent years. For example, in 2022, he went on tour with New Kids On The Block.
During his interview with Smashing Interviews, Astley said of his career, "if I’m brutally honest, if I’d been singing “Never Gonna Give You Up” and a few others for 30 years, I think I’d have driven myself mad. I think that having a 15-year breakaway from it was really good and healthy. I became a real person. I grew up a little bit as well. You just start to view life differently, I think, and when you’re in that bubble, you have to do that."
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGibopxdp7akt4yaqq2kla56rbXKnmSoppVitarAjLCmp5yVp3qvsdWeqWafn6O7onnGoq2eZamkwm7Bz2g%3D