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Rickrolling began in the mid 2000s as a bait and switch prank online, inspired by an earlier duckroll meme on 4chan. A link would promise a trailer, leak or download, but open Rick Astley's 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up instead. The joke exploded in 2007 and 2008 across forums, YouTube and even live events, turning the song into a permanent internet ritual. Astley later embraced it, and the clip still returns whenever a creator wants a familiar, harmless betrayal.
About this sound
Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up chorus used for the classic Rickroll prank, where a promising link secretly leads to the 80s pop song instead.
This is the instantly recognisable opening chorus of Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley, the smooth 1987 pop hook that became the Rickroll. Astley's warm baritone and the bright, earnest delivery make the bait feel completely sincere for a split second, then the joke lands as everyone realises they have been tricked again. The clip works because the song is catchy rather than annoying, so the prank feels playful, nostalgic, and weirdly welcome even when you saw it coming every single time.
