'80s Pop Icon Joins Elite Club With ‘Monumental Achievement' of Classic Hit
'80s Pop Icon Joins Elite Club With 'Monumental Achievement' of Classic Hit originally appeared on Parade.
No, you haven't been Rickrolled!
's iconic '80s classic song, 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' which inspired the social media pranking sensation, has joined some unique company.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
Originally released in 1987, the song has joined Spotify's Billions Club in recognition of it passing more than one 1 billion streams on the platform.
'I never could have imagined back in 1987 that 'Never Gonna Give You Up' would still be going strong decades later,' Astley said in a statement. 'Thanks to streaming platforms, a whole new generation has been able to discover music like mine. Reaching one billion streams is something I never dreamed of and to everyone who's ever listened, thank you.'
Astley also celebrated the achievement by posting a video commenting about the milestone on Instagram.
Fans were quick to congratulate the singer in the comments, with one writing, 'Congratulations on the monumental achievement of your debut single, "Never Gonna Give You Up," reaching an astounding 1 billion streams on Spotify! 🎉✨🥳✨🎊 This is a testament to the timeless magic of your music and the enduring love fans worldwide have for this iconic track.'
At the time of its initial release, 'Never Gonna Give You Up' also did quite well for itself, topping the singles chart in more than 20 different countries, including a five-week run on top of the U.K. charts and two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
It experienced a renaissance in 2020 thanks to the Rick-rolling social media prank, reaching platinum status in the U.K. that year and double-platinum there three years later. In the U.S. it has hit the five-time platinum mark.Spotify isn't the only streaming platform where the song has exceeded 1 billion streams. It hit that mark on YouTube in 2022 and now has more than 1.6 billion there.
Aside from winning the hearts of fans worldwide, Astley has also earned the endorsement of fellow stars, including Foo Fighters , who called Astley 'the most bad-ass mother—ker!' Foo Fighters have backed Astley on a live version of 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' while Astley covered the Foo's hit 'Everlong' live at Radio 2 in the Park in 2023.
'80s Pop Icon Joins Elite Club With 'Monumental Achievement' of Classic Hit first appeared on Parade on Jun 2, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
11 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Powerful play ‘Memorabilia' explores the hope and limits of memory through the eyes of a clown
Jean Claudio, a formidable Chicago-based talent who lives on Instagram as @el_clown, can dance, juggle, tumble, perform handstands and unleash a variety of -style clowning, a function of having a remarkably pliant and supple body and having trained in circus and physical theater in Buenos Aries and at the Actors Gymnasium in Evanston. Claudio is not an actor who moves. He's a legitimate circus professional with an uncommon facility for generating empathy. And in 'Memorabilia,' a very enjoyable solo show now at the Filament Theatre in Portage Park, Claudio sets about extending his skills and engaging persona into a bigger narrative, one that explores the limits of memory and the possibility of its reawakening. The show is produced by Teatro Vista, and if I add that the Alzheimer's Association is one of the show's sponsors, you probably have a sense of the world that Claudio is inhabiting here. But it's far from conventional or based on just one of life's travails. Claudio is, after all, a clown. And the 80-minute show, which is perfectly fine for family audiences, is a mostly joyful experience as an inventor named Salvador interacts physically and comedically with a whole bunch of stuff from his prior life (a plate, a piece of fabric, a coffee pot, a song, a body, a love), the significance of which he often struggles to remember (or is it to face?). But on designer Lauren Nichols' set, Salvador has a Rube Goldberg contraption to aid him in his quest to recall what matters most. It's a sculpture made up of old televisions and monitors, drawers filled with objects, maybe a toaster oven to gobble up life's cues. In its best moments, which are fantastic, Claudio dives deep into the unsettling nature of memory loss and denial but also into our incredible ability to recall and survive things from long ago. It's an affirmative piece that really challenges the notion that 'I can't remember' has to be a permanent state. If your family (as was mine) was or is touched by Alzheimer's, you'll know that one of the main challenges faced by those with the condition is to sort out what is significant (a loved one, say), and what can and should be discarded to the sands of time. After all, the ability to forget is the only way we can manage to stay content; if we recalled every past slight and example of unfair treatment, we'd spend our days in a stew of resentment. It's to his great credit that Claudio's show brings all of this up. Like a lot of clowns trained in South and Central America, Claudio has developed an expertise in what is known as crowd work, the name given to audience interaction. This, too, here, is about prompting memory, mostly through a very extensive accompanying sound design from Satya Chávez that really becomes a second character in the show. I think 'Memorabilia' still needs some work: its potentially potent emotional trajectory, its arc of feeling, sometimes get pushed aside as Claudio gets too involved with all of his stuff on stage and the thread gets lost. Ironically, given the subject, the show has some ways yet to go when it comes to signaling what is and is not the most important and, although the conclusion is inspiring, it would be yet more powerful if it were allowed more room to breathe. It's mostly a question of finding the right focus and pairing down what does not get used, and I thought those issues most acute in the less cohesive second part of the evening. If Claudio could focus as much on the audience's journey of feeling as he does on trying to make us laugh, he'd really have something here. That said, 'Memorabilia' is still a very rewarding and unusual show and a piece of new work with formidable potential. As I watched, I kept thinking about how great it would be for a child with grandparents struggling with memory to see this piece with someone who could explain what it was trying to say, but then the same would apply for an adult with a forgetful parent or, indeed, to persons themselves working mightily to remember, in all the complexity of that word. Memory is a wonderful theme for el_clown to explore because he is so vulnerable and empathetic. All he has to do now is ask himself what in his show matters the most. Review: 'Memorabilia' (3 stars) When: Through June 29 Where: Teatro Vista at Filament Theatre, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave. Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Tickets: $20-$55 at
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Queerbomb changes format for 2025 Pride celebration, citing organizational roadblocks
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A locally organized, annual Pride celebration will look different this year after organizers said they faced challenges in the planning process. Queerbomb has made several posts on Instagram over the last few weeks about this year's event looking different than past events. On Wednesday, the account made a post sharing more details, saying that the event would be held as a picnic and sign-making event on the south lawn of the Texas Capitol, rather than its typical Pride march and rally. Related: Pride Month event Queerbomb may not happen due to lack of volunteers Queerbomb's post cited a few different reasons for the format change, but mostly focused on a change in volunteer staff and organizational roadblocks. The post said that last year's 'already small volunteer crew' held off on planning for the event until January, but ultimately 'no longer had the capacity to make this happen.' The group then asked the community for volunteers and said that though people stepped up to help, they were 'still short on the people needed to make a large-scale, multi-part event happen this year in half the time.' Queerbomb also said in the post that it had planned to host the event at the same venue that was used last year, but that the venue 'wanted to censor the rally or move it away from the main stage.' KXAN reached out to the venue to ask for commentary and will update this story if we receive a response. The post also mentioned roadblocks such as Austin Police Department fees and involvement, city council changes, and a 'time crunch severely limited organizers' ability to plan a safe event for everyone.' The post noted that organizers voted to shift what the event looks like this year 'to ensure there is still space for queer community free from censorship and corporate involvement that welcomes all expressions of gender, sexuality, and pride.' Queerbomb also made a post back in February that the event was at risk of not happening this year due to a lack of volunteer organizers. This year's event will be held on the south lawn of the Texas State Capitol on Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sign-making supplies and refreshments will be available until supplies run out. Donations collected for this year's event will fund the needed supplies, and leftover funds will be saved for future events, according to the post. KXAN reached out to Queerbomb organizers for more information. We will update this story if we receive a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
This Popular Aldi Snack Just Received a Multi-State Recall For a Serious Reason—Here's What to Know
This Popular Aldi Snack Just Received a Multi-State Recall For a Serious Reason—Here's What to Know originally appeared on Parade. While understandably an inconvenience, food recalls are a necessary part of keeping consumers safe. When an issue arises, it triggers an immediate investigation, followed by steps to eliminate the risk and restore safe production. On our end, it's often as simple as checking a label while the recall process takes care of the rest. This week, Camerican International of Paramus, NJ, is recalling 7.05-ounce boxes of Aldi-brand Casa Mamita Churro Bites Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream due to the potential presence of undeclared milk. Shoppers are urged to check their labels, as those with a milk allergy or severe sensitivity risk serious (or even life-threatening) allergic reactions if they consume the product. 🍳 🍳 According to the recall notice, the identified batch of Casa Mamita Churro Bites Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream were distributed in select Aldi locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The product itself is packaged in a 7.05-ounce cardboard box marked with a Best If Used By Date of JUL/14/2025 and Lot Number 01425. An image of the product can be found below for your the notice, the recall was initiated after a consumer discovered that a milk-containing product had been distributed in packaging that failed to disclose the presence of milk. An investigation revealed that the issue stemmed from a 'temporary breakdown in the company's production and packaging processes.' The company has since reported that the problem has been corrected. As of now there have been no illnesses reported in connection with the recall, however, consumers who purchased the product in question are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Those with further questions can contact the company directly at 1-201-587-0101 Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST, or email fsqaincidents@ Popular Aldi Snack Just Received a Multi-State Recall For a Serious Reason—Here's What to Know first appeared on Parade on Jun 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
