Congratulations are in order for Rick Astley, who has joined Spotify's Billions Club with his worldwide smash ‘Never Gonna Give You Up'.
The song has now exceeded one billion streams on Spotify, which is remarkable given the song was released more than 30 years before the streaming platform was launched. Treat yourself to the pop classic below:
Astley says, “I never could have imagined back in 1987 that ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ would still be going strong decades later. 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.”
‘Never Gonna Give You Up' dominated the charts when it was released in 1987. It spent five weeks at the top of the UK charts and two weeks at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100. Over the years it has continued to attract new fans, with the Rickrolling phenomenon turning it into a pop culture moment and pushing it to Platinum in the UK in 2020.
Astley has been enjoying a career resurgence in more recent years. He made his Glastonbury debut in 2023 when he opened the Pyramid Stage on Saturday. He re-emerged later that day with a surprise set in which he fronted Blossoms for an entire set of classic songs by The Smiths.
The Rick Astley 2.0 era has taken in countless other highlights, from collaborating with Foo Fighters to selling out countless arena headline shows and stealing the show at further festivals such as Radio 2 In The Park, Latitude and TRNSMT. He also made a long-awaited return to the States in 2022 with a massive three-month, 56-date arena tour with New Kids On The Block.
2024 saw the release of ‘Never: The Autobiography’. It is a powerful and revealing memoir in which Astley candidly recounts his formative years and unconventional upbringing. He retraces his decision to leave the spotlight and provides intimate insights into family life and the challenges and rewards of new beginnings.
