Rick Astley Concerts Setlist

From warbling in the church choir of Lancashire to global pop icon and virtual internet legend by association, Rick Astley's life has been far from ordinary. Born as a drummer for groups on the streets of Lancashire, nearby Preston, he was seen in 1985 by producer Pete Waterman, and his life as an apprentice with pop legends Stock Aitken Waterman was to begin - where he came into life as the studio "tea boy" and left a star.

That succor came in 1987 with "Never Gonna Give You Up", number one for 25 countries and British single of the year. His debut album "Whenever You Need Somebody" sold record 15.2 million internationally and was 1987 British bestseller. For a mind-boggling period, he sold more music than the world combined.

Following the success of the late '80s and his best songs such as "Together Forever", Astley shifted course in 1991 by embracing soul with "Cry for Help". At only 27 years old, he stepped aside from the spotlight in 1993 to pursue a life of normalcy. Destiny, however, had other ideas for him - the "Rickrolling" meme that came in 2007 rather unexpectedly saw him back in the spotlight again, winning an MTV Europe "Best Act Ever" award in 2008.

This latter half of his life has been as good. His 2016 album "50", marking his 50th birthday, topped the UK charts, and he's won over a new generation with surprise guest appearances, including warbling along with Foo Fighters at major festivals. By 2021, "Never Gonna Give You Up" had reached one billion YouTube views, and his 2023 album "Are We There Yet?" reached number two in the UK.

With a global tally of around 40 million recordings, Astley's career arc from '80s pop sensation to affable contemporary cult figure proves the merit of honesty and wit in helping even an online meme become cultural capital that holds up.