This 1988 No. 1 Hit Released 38 Years Ago Today - Then Became A Viral Meme
On March 12, 1988, Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" began its two-week stretch at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song—which has since experienced a second wave of popularity on the internet—was a massive hit in both the United States and the singer's home country, the United Kingdom.
'Never Gonna Give You Up' Was A Star-Making Single That Remained Popular For Decades
"Never Gonna Give You Up" was originally released as the lead single from Astley's album Whenever You Need Somebody, which also featured radio hits such as "Together Forever", "The Love Has Gone", and the title track.
The song was an immediate hit, peaking at No. 1 on the British charts and remaining there for five consecutive weeks. It topped charts in five different countries, ended up being the best-selling single of the year in the U.K., and won Best British Single at the 1988 Brit Awards.
The single also found huge success in America, where it held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. But it wasn't until two decades later that "Never Gonna Give You Up" would reach the height of its popularity.
In 2008, Astley's iconic pop song became a viral internet meme as the sensation of 'Rickrolling' took off on the internet. The prank would involve sending somebody a link that's supposedly important but ultimately just leads to the "Never Gonna Give You Up" music video.
The trend became hugely popular in the late 2000s, to the extent that Astley received the MTV Award for "Best Act Ever" in 2008 due to the song's revival. This new surge in Astley's popularity also inspired the musician to release new music and continue the career he'd essentially left back in the '80s.
His 2016 album 50 immediately went to No. 1 on the U.K. charts and received an American release just months after the British debut. While it wasn't quite as successful on the other side of the Atlantic, it marked Astley's first U.S. album release since 1993 and revived his career in America.