Latest news with #Rickrolling
CNBC
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNBC
Rick Astley's No. 1 hit has a billion Spotify streams, 38 years after its release: It's 'something I never dreamed of'
Rick Astley was just 21 years old when he recorded his 1987 hit, 'Never Gonna Give You Up.' It spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and charted for 24 more weeks. At age 27, he retired from recording music, with no clue that his song would see a resurgence among millennials and Gen Zers decades later. Astley's song joined Spotify's "Billions Club" on Monday, surpassing 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, 59, said in a statement, according to USA Today. "Thanks to streaming platforms, a whole new generation has been able to discover music like mine. Reaching 1 billion streams is something I never dreamed of and to everyone who's ever listened, thank you." Astley's retirement wasn't permanent: He released a studio album in 2005, and has released three more since 2016. But his song's modern popularity is more due to "Rickrolling," an online bait-and-switch prank where someone is tricked into watching the song's music video through a misleading first learned about Rickrolling in 2007, when his friend emailed him a YouTube link that brought him to his own music video, he told Vice in 2022. Today, the music video has at least 1.6 billion views on YouTube, and "Never Gonna Give You Up" has stayed relevant enough to be certified five-times platinum in the U.S. It's unclear exactly how much money Astley has received from the online phenomenon, with streaming services, distributors and music labels rarely publishing exact payout rates. The singer himself may not care: "I've never even tried to find out what was actually made from the YouTube hits. I've never really thought about it," he wrote on Reddit in October 2016. Astley was already financially comfortable when he retired at 27, he told ITV's "This Morning" on October 28. More recently, he was paid "a chunk of money" to sing "Never Gonna Give You Up" at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2008, and in a 2015 Virgin Mobile commercial, he wrote on Reddit. "I have been paid well twice, for rickrolling," Astley wrote. Astley's early retirement was prompted by burnout, he told ITV. He felt so consumed by the business of music that he rarely enjoyed the feeling of being a musician, he said. "I was going to America to do a big TV show in New York, and I developed a fear of flying," said Astley. "I didn't want to get on planes anymore, which is hard to be an international pop star if you won't fly." His music-making hiatus gave him a relative degree of off-stage anonymity that he's since embraced, he told Vice. "I've done way more gigging in the last 15 years than I did when I was famous. I'm a lot happier than when I was having my hits," said Astley. "It's kind of perfect because, even though I've just sung for 10,000 people, and they've sung most of the words back to me … when I go to the bar, one person might recognize me. Sometimes none — it's amazing."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Coffee break: Edible sunscreen, summer milkshake favorite, and getting Rick-rolled
Good morning, everyone! We're taking a coffee break and we have some fun stories to share with you this morning! Harvard University researchers followed a group of nearly 50-thousand women for 30 discovered that drinking coffee every morning helped women stay mentally sharp and physically strong later in life. The benefits were noticeable in middle-aged women who drank caffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee and tea didn't have the same effect. Participants drank up to 2-and-a-half cups of joe a day. One of Chick-fil-A's most beloved milkshakes is set to return next week. The Atlanta-based fast food restaurant recently announced that its peach milkshake will return for its 16th year starting June 9. The creamy treat will be joined by a new peach-themed item, peach frosted lemonade. The drink features Chick-fil-A's regular or diet lemonade mixed, icedream dessert, and peaches. Both drinks will be available for a limited time at participating restaurants. Chick-fil-a also announced that the pineapple dragonfruit beverage will be extended through August 16. Dermatologists are weighing in on the new trend of 'Edible sunscreens.' As you might expect, most are saying don't ditch the topical lotions and sprays. The edibles are filled with vitamins and antioxidants to protect your skin from within. Dermatologists say people might just be hearing about these, but they have actually been prescribing them for tears. They contain ingredients to help reduce sun-induced skin damage and inflammation, but they were always meant to be used with a physical barrier … Like traditional SPF. So no, edible sunscreen does not keep you from burning. 'Never gonna give you up' by Rick Astley first came out in 1987, but future generations know it more as the 'Rick rolling' song.. The gag from 2007 where you fool people into clicking on an unrelated link that takes them to the song. Our sister station in Chicago had the WGN Men's glee club even rick-rolled Rick Astley seven years ago. Astley thanked the listeners and said he never could have imagined his song would hit a billion streams. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
This classic '80s song just hit 1 billion streams on Spotify
Show Caption 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up' Passes 1 Billion Spotify Streams
Rick Astley's 1987 hit song 'Never Gonna Give You Up' has passed 1 billion streams on Spotify — 38 years after the song debuted. The feat is even more noteworthy given that the song was released more than 20 years before Spotify launched. More from The Hollywood Reporter Pusha T Says Def Jam Tried to Censor Kendrick Lamar Verse On Upcoming Clipse Album Due To Drake Beef Sean "Diddy" Combs' Ex-Aide Says She Was "Brainwashed" When She Sent Loving Texts Years After Rape Governors Ball Music Festival 2025: Where to Buy Last-Minute Tickets Online '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 1 billion streams is something I never dreamed of and to everyone who's ever listened, thank you.' The song became a hit upon its initial release, reaching No. 1 on more than 20 international charts, including spending five weeks at the top of the charts in the U.K. and two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. However, the tune reached a new generation in later years thanks to the Rickrolling phenomenon, which went viral circa 2007. A brief explainer, if you have somehow managed to avoid this until now: Rickrolling is a joke played online on unsuspecting folks who click on a hyperlink about anything unrelated to Astley only to be taken to the music video for the song. 'Never Gonna Give You Up' was certified platinum in the U.K. in 2020 and went double platinum three years later; it was certified five times platinum in the U.S. Meanwhile, the video has been watched 1.6 billion times on YouTube. Astley had a string of other hits in the late '80s, including 'Together Forever,' 'It Would Take a Strong Strong Man' and 'She Wants to Dance With Me.' He retired from the music business in 1993 to spend time with family but mounted a comeback in 2016 with the album 50, which hit No. 1 in the U.K. He performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2023 as well as other venues around the world. In 2024, he released a memoir, Never: The Autobiography. Watch the music video for 'Never Gonna Give You Up' below. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
This classic '80s song just hit 1 billion streams on Spotify.
This classic '80s song just hit 1 billion streams on Spotify. Show Caption Hide Caption Watch Rick Astley's reaction to the 'Ted Lasso' funeral scene Ahead of his slot on New Kids on the Block's The Mixtape tour, singer Rick Astley plays '80s trivia with USA TODAY's Melissa Ruggieri. Entertain This!, USA TODAY 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." Rick Astley memoir: Singer tackles Rickrolling, Dave Grohl and resurgent pop career in 'Never' 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. Rick Astley is no one-hit wonder, but these music stars are. "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. Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY
