Never Gonna Give You Up was released by Rick Astley in 1987 and became a worldwide pop hit long before it became a meme. In the late 2000s, internet users began sharing the song as a bait-and-switch prank, posting links that promised one thing and opened the music video instead. The joke spread through forums, social media and video platforms, helped by how recognisable the intro is within seconds. It endures because the prank is harmless, instantly understood and still catches new audiences by surprise.
About this sound
The opening of Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up, used as the classic rick roll prank sound to surprise viewers who expect a different link or video.
The clip opens with the instantly recognisable drum pattern and bright synth intro of Rick Astley's 1987 hit, building for a few seconds before his smooth vocal enters with the famous promise never to give you up. It sounds polished, upbeat and completely earnest, which is exactly why it lands so well as a joke. Listeners expecting something serious, shocking or completely unrelated are suddenly greeted by a cheerful pop chorus they already know by heart, and the surprise usually turns into laughter, recognition and a shared feeling of having been caught out by one of the internet's oldest tricks.
