Rick Astley released Never Gonna Give You Up in 1987 as his debut single, produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and it became a number one hit in many countries. The prank use, called rickrolling, took off around 2007 on forums as a successor to duckrolling, where a promising link secretly led to the video. It spread through YouTube, forums and live events, even reaching a surprise performance at the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the clip still works because almost everyone online recognises the trick.
About this sound
Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up chorus used for a classic rickroll prank, dropped into links, videos and chats to surprise people online.
This is the instantly recognisable opening of Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up, the clip behind the rickroll. Instead of the content someone expected, his warm baritone and the bright late eighties pop production suddenly take over, turning a normal link or video into a joke. The humour comes from the bait and switch and from how earnestly he sings about loyalty and commitment. Even listeners who know the prank often smile when it lands, because the song is catchy, nostalgic and completely out of place.
