Rick Astley reveals true feelings about ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’

Rick Astley’s ‘80s chart-topping song Never Gonna Give You Up has etched its place in pop culture and remains a hit to this day.

But decades later, the English singer, 58, admitted that he thinks it’s a ‘s**t song.”

Speaking to The Sun about his ninth studio album, Are We There Yet?, Astley confessed that it wasn’t until he performed the song again decades later at the Glastonbury Festival 2023 last year that he found a newfound appreciation for the song that launched him into stardom.

“Festivals – and Glastonbury in particular – have an almost magical ability to elevate s**t songs,” he posited.

Released on July 12, 1987, Never Gonna Give You Up swiftly climbed the charts, securing the top stop on the American Billboard Hot 100 and dominating charts in 25 other countries.

Yet, its influence didn't stop there. The song's internet phenomenon, famously known as "Rickrolling," propelled its music video to unprecedented heights.

With fans covertly sharing its link as a prank, the video amassed a staggering 1.5 billion views, achieving the remarkable milestone of over 1 billion views in 2021.