NewsGlobal 10 Oct 2022

INTL: Latest VICE documentary spotlights Rick Astley’s iconic ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’

Rick Astley (c) VICE

Musical icon and hit-maker extraordinaire Rick Astley has featured in the latest documentary from news outlet VICE. The documentary is a deep dive into Astley's 1987 mega-hit ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ which now in its 35th anniversary year, turned 5 times platinum in the US

The documentary also provides an exposé into Astley’s rise to stardom and of course, the infamous “RickRoll’d” meme, which took the internet by storm following its release in 2007. The documentary features interviews with the major contributors to the song, including Pete Waterman, Matt Aitken, Mike Stock, and Astley himself.

The defining eighties hit which is steadily approaching 1.3 billion views on YouTube was given a resurgence this year when Astley, in celebration of the song's 35th anniversary, released a brand new animated music video that lovingly recreates all of the most memorable moments from the original.

Astley, who is signed to BMG for publishing and recordings, took a step back from the limelight in 1993, before emerging in 2005 with his fifth studio album Portrait.

In the years since Astley has embraced his past and welcomed his internet fame with open arms. Maintaining a large online presence Astley has embraced social media platforms such as TikTok with Astley’s aptly named RickTok channel garnering millions of views.

2022 has been a seemingly unstoppable year for the hit-maker, with Astley launching a YouTube channel for pre-schoolers BUB CLUB, alongside partners Jacqui and Kevin Hughes as well as starring in a new advertising campaign