Rick Astley Has Never Rickrolled Anyone — But Says He ‘Appreciates the Life’ the Viral Song Gave Him (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Rick Astley in 1982 and in 2025.Photo:Frank Hempel/United Archives via Getty; Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty

Frank Hempel/United Archives via Getty; Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty

Rick Astleymay be cemented in music history for the viral“Rickrolling”prank, but he’s never actually pulled it himself.

Two decades after the English singer’s iconic track“Never Gonna Give You Up”became an instant sensation — topping charts in the United States, United Kingdom and more — the ’80s earworm was introduced to a new generation, thanks to one of the Internet’s first viral moments. In 2007, a YouTube user posted what appeared to be the link to a new video game trailer on an online forum, but it redirected to the charmingly cheesymusic videoto Astley’s hit song.

The rest is history.

The meme — named Rickrolling — took off, helping the music video rack up more than 1 billion views and counting. And Astley scored his first No. 1 album in decades, started to sell out arenas andmade his Glastonbury debutat age 57.

He narrates his unusual trajectory as a pop icon — rising to stardom at 21, his “retirement” from music in his late 20s amid a depressive period and his return to the spotlight as “Never Gonna Give You Up” got its second wind — in a new memoir,Never: The Autobiography, out Jan. 21.

Pan Macmillan

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Astley, now 58, reveals that he’s only instigated the prank “professionally” — through brand partnerships and at live events — but not on his own.

“I’ve never really appreciated what it is, I think, because I’ve just had to sort of shut down that part of my brain,” says the star. “I was lucky enough that it happened when I was a lot older, and I was like, ‘The guy in the video, yes, I know it’s my physicality, but it’s not me.’ I’ve got enough distance.”

Rick Astley in 1988.Vinnie Zuffante/Getty

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty

“She was saying, ‘Don’t sweat it. It has nothing to do with you,’ ” he remembers. “And I’m like, ‘How can it have nothing to do with me?’ And she said, ‘Just leave it where it is. Don’t try to embrace it and try funny things with it.’ ”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

So that’s what Astley did, and the song ballooned in success. He still sticks “Never Gonna Give You Up” at the end of his concert setlists — even when many artists would scoff at the expectation that they play a 40-year-old song every night.

“I understand a lot of artists would freak and would have a meltdown if somebody instigated this thing,” acknowledges Astley, but adds that he “appreciates the life it gave me.”

Rick Astley in 2024.Mike Lewis Photography/Redferns

Mike Lewis Photography/Redferns

“It introduced that song to a lot of people and a generation that would have no clue, and that’s kind of gold dust really,” he says. “I’ve learned to appreciate that it’s part of my DNA.”

The performer also isn’t afraid to admit that there was “so much luck involved” in the song’s massive popularity: “You can either recognize it as that, even at the time or certainly later, or you can say, ‘No, I’m amazing, it would’ve happened anyway.’ And I fall into the first camp,” says Astley.

“There’s people who probably have more talent than me who didn’t get their goal for whatever reason,” the rocker continues. “I can get quite emotional about that at times, because the luck involved in having a hit record that’s a lifechanger is so narrow a bandwidth, it’s unbelievable.”

Never: The Autobiographyis available now, wherever books are sold.

source: people.com