Rick Astley

Rick �A�s�t�l�e�y�’s� �s�t�o�r�y� is� �a� �r�e�m�a�r�k�a�b�l�e� �c�a�r�e�e�r� �o�f� �t�w�o� �c�h�a�p�t�e�r�s�.� �W�a�y� �b�a�c�k� in� �1�9�8�7�,� �h�e� �b�e�c�a�m�e� �a�n� unlikely �g�l�o�b�a�l� �phenomenon as his era-defining �s�m�a�s�h� �‘N�e�v�e�r� �G�o�n�n�a� Give �Y�o�u� �U�p�’ established �him� �a�s� �a�n� �international chart-topping, BRIT Award winning global star - a� �s�t�a�t�u�s� heightened �b�y� �f�u�r�t�h�e�r� hits �s�u�c�h� �a�s� �‘T�o�g�e�t�h�e�r� �F�o�r�e�v�e�r�’ �a�n�d� �‘W�h�e�n�e�v�e�r� �Y�o�u� �N�e�e�d� �S�o�m�e�b�o�d�y�’.�

B�u�t� �t�h�e�n� �in the late 90s h�e� �s�t�e�p�p�e�d� �a�w�a�y� �f�r�o�m� �t�h�e� spotlight and retired from the music industry, s�e�e�min�g�l�y� �l�e�a�vin�g� �t�h�a�t� �c�h�a�p�t�e�r� �o�f� �his life firmly in the past.

Rick’s� �s�e�c�o�n�d� �c�h�a�p�t�e�r� �t�h�e�n� �s�t�a�r�t�e�d� �w�h�e�n� �h�e� �c�e�l�e�b�r�a�t�e�d� his �h�a�l�f�-century by returning to the top of the charts with 2�0�1�6�’s� �‘5�0�’.� �T�h�e� �s�o�m�e�h�o�w� still boyish �sin�g�e�r�,� songwriter �a�n�d� �p�r�o�d�u�c�e�r� �h�a�s� �s�t�a�y�e�d� �a�t� �t�h�e� �t�o�p� �o�f� �his� �g�a�m�e� �e�v�e�r� �sin�c�e�,� �leading to collaborations wit�h� �e�v�e�r�y�o�n�e� �f�r�o�m� �F�o�o� �Fig�h�t�e�r�s� �t�o� �B�l�o�s�s�o�m�s�.

He became a musician after leaving school, as the drummer for soul band FBI. Three years later, Rick rose to fame through his relationship with PWL and renown production trio Stock Aitken Waterman; releasing the 1987 album Whenever You Need Somebody, which sold 15.2 million copies worldwide

Such was the sheer vocal talent of Rick Astley as a 21 year-old in 1987, and shocked by the powerful, mature soulful tone of his voice, Rick’s debut single Never Gonna Give You Up rocketed to the top of the UK singles charts within two weeks of its release.

The rest of the world soon followed suit, with Never Gonna Give You Up reaching Number 1 in 25 other countries including most of Europe, Japan, United States, Australia, and winning the 1988 Brit Award for Best British Single.

In the UK, Rick Astley was in the Top 40 charts every week for the first six months of his career.

The following two years saw him continue to dominate the charts around the globe. In 1988, he followed-up his debut album with Hold Me In Your Arms. The lead single, She Wants to Dance with Me, was Astley's first single that he wrote himself, and it became a worldwide top 10 hit.

In 1991, Rick Astley left Stock Aitken Waterman’s mainstream PWL record label and moved his musical direction away from dance-pop and towards soul. His first single Cry for Help from the new album, Free, was Astley's last single to reach the top 10 in either the US or UK.

He returned to the music industry in the early noughties, and released the single Sleeping and the album Keep It Turned On in 2001. Four years later, he released his covers album Portrait. By the time of his brief retirement, Rick Astley had sold approximately 40 million records worldwide.

Rick became an Internet phenomenon in 2017 when the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up became integral to the Rickrolling meme, and his performance career was revitalised by the meme's popularity.

He released a studio album Beautiful Life in 2018, followed by his greatest hits album, The Best of Me, in 2019.

His most memorable song, Never Gonna Give You Up, reached 1 billion views in July 2021, becoming the fourth 1980s song to reach this milestone — behind Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, Take On Me by A-ha and Sweet Child o' Mine by Guns N' Roses.

In 2024, Rick embarked on a sell-out summer UK arena tour which culminated in the release of his first autobiography, Never, published by Macmillan on October 10th.

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Clients often ask about purchasing books for giveaways and delegate packs. Below you’ll find a selection of products by Rick Astley. Click the images to view on Amazon's website. For bulk orders, please speak with your Booking Agent.