This classic '80s song just hit 1 billion streams on Spotify
No, Mr. Astley, this isn't a fake-out. You're streaming royalty now.
British pop star Rick Astley, whose inescapable '80s hit"Never Gonna Give You Up" found an unexpected renaissance in the digital age, has joined the ranks of Spotify's "Billions Club," according to a June 2 press release. The soulful synth-pop track, taken from Astley's 1987 debut album "Whenever You Need Somebody," has exceeded one billion streams on the music platform.
"I never could have imagined back in 1987 that 'Never Gonna Give You Up' would still be going strong decades later," Astley, 59, 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."
The song, written and produced by the all-star dance-pop production team Stock Aitken Waterman, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and has sold five million copies to date.
In the late 2000s, "Never Gonna Give You Up" received an unlikely revival when the "Rickrolling" internet meme became a viral sensation. The digital prank consists of a bait-and-switch maneuver in which someone opens a disguised hyperlink containing the music video to Astley's song. When the individual opens the link and is confused to discover the song, they have been "Rickrolled."
Thanks to the "Rickrolling" effect, "Never Gonna Give You Up" earned tens of millions of YouTube views (the music video currently has 1.6 billion), was played at various sporting events and was even referenced on X, formerly known as Twitter, by The White House during the Barack Obama administration.
"I don't know how my career would have turned out without Rickrolling," Astley reflected in his 2024 memoir "Never.""But it would be stupid to say it hasn't ultimately done me a lot of good."
While "Never Gonna Give You Up" remains Astley's signature song, his other hits include "Together Forever," "She Wants to Dance with Me," "Cry for Help" and "It Would Take a Strong Man." His most recent album, 2023's "Are We There Yet?," peaked at No. 2 on the charts in his native U.K.
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Taylor Swift's 50 Biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits ranking is based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 (through Aug. 16, 2025). Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates during various periods. 50. 'Fearless' Fearless' title track braved a No. 9 peak. 49. 'Bejeweled' The dazzling Midnights track peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100. 48. 'Sparks Fly' This Speak Now fan favorite captivated fans like a fireworks display with a No. 17 peak. 47. 'Begin Again' 'Begin Again' began with a spot in the top 10 upon its release, debuting at a peak position of No. 7. 46. 'Picture To Burn'This fiery debut-era hit scorched past the top 40 benchmark with a No. 28 peak in 2008. 45. 'Should've Said No' Swift's uptempo country jam, the final single off her 2006 self-titled debut, peaked at No. 33 on the Hot 100. 44. 'Midnight Rain' The regretful Midnights track peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 in November 2022. 43. 'Everything Has Changed' feat. Ed Sheeran The Red duet peaked at No. 32 on the Hot 100 after being released as a single in 2013. 42. 'Tim McGraw'Swift's Hot 100 debut — the country love song that started it all — reached No. 40 on the Hot 100. It also became her first of 36 top 10s to date on Hot Country Songs. 41. 'Eyes Open' The second Hunger Games soundtrack single from Swift, 'Eyes Open' peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 following its 2012 release. 40. 'Red' The rockin' promo single from the 2012 album of the same name exploded onto the Hot 100 at No. 6. 39. 'Down Bad' The track from 2024's The Tortured Poets Department debuted at its No. 2 Hot 100 high. 38. 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'Lover' The title track from Swift's seventh studio album, released in 2019, found strong public reception after a performance on that year's MTV Video Music Awards. As the album impacted the Billboard charts, the resulting activity pushed this composition to No. 10 on the Hot 100. 29. 'White Horse' The Grammy Award-winning track (best country song, best female country vocal performance) galloped to a No. 13 peak on the Hot 100. 28. 'Today Was a Fairytale' This ode to a dream date, fittingly off 2010's Valentine's Day soundtrack, debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. 27. 'Two Is Better Than One' Boys Like Girls feat. Taylor Swift Power-poppers Boys Like Girls brought in Swift for the assist on this 2009 single, which peaked at No. 18 on the Hot 100. 26. 'Willow''Willow,' the lead single from Swift's ninth studio album Evermore, debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, continuing in the understated folk singer-songwriter vein of her previous album, Folklore. 25. 'I Can Do It With a Broken Heart' Swift's ode to faking it 'til you make it, a confessional and intimate reflection despite its bouncy beat, peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 upon its debut. Promoted as the second proper single from 2024's The Tortured Poets Department, it spent more than six months on the chart. 24. 'Back to December' Rumored to be about Swift's short-lived relationship with Taylor Lautner, the ballad entered and crested at No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 2010. 23. 'Lavender Haze' The loved-up opening Midnights song peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. 22. 'Delicate' The fourth Reputation single, a gentle, enveloping midtempo ballad, stood in stark contrast with its three immediate predecessors. The switch-up had welcome results, cruising to No. 12 on the Hot 100 while slowly but steadily rising to top of the Pop Airplay chart. 21. 'Me!' feat. 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