Richard Paul Astley, (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He was born in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, England. Astley has also lived in Richmond, in Surrey with his Danish girlfriend, Lene Bausager, and their daughter, Emilie.^[1] is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... For the village, see Newton-le-Willows, North Yorkshire. ... For other uses, see Chorley (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... Blue-eyed soul (also known as white soul) is a term used to describe R&B or soul music performed by white artists. ... The term singer-songwriter refers to performers who both write and sing their own material. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Stock, Aitken & Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, are a British songwriting and record producing trio who had great success during the mid-late 1980s and early 1990s with many of their productions. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... For the popular-music magazine, see Musician (magazine). ... For the village, see Newton-le-Willows, North Yorkshire. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London and part of Outer London. ... This article is about the English county. ...

Career

In 1985, Astley was playing the club circuit as a drummer with a soul band named FBI, when he was seen by the record producer Pete Waterman and persuaded to come to London to work at the PWL recording studio. Under the tutelage of production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, Astley was taught about the recording process and groomed for his future career, supposedly starting off as the recording studio 'tea boy'. During much of his career, many listeners assumed he was black. In one instance, the comedic entertainer, Sinbad, discussed him with a talk-show host, expressing his surprise that Astley was not "one of the brothers." Even after his visual appearance, it was still popular belief that he was miming for a black American singer.^[2] His brother Mike Astley helped to refute this assertion. For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Pete on the cover of his autobiography I Wish I Was Me Peter Alan Waterman, OBE (born in Coventry on January 15, 1947) is an English record producer, songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... PWL (Pete Waterman Ltd) is the production company and one-time record label owned by pop mogul Pete Waterman. ... Stock, Aitken & Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, are a British songwriting and record producing trio who had great success during the mid-late 1980s and early 1990s with many of their productions. ... “Sound recorder” redirects here. ... ==Individual Studio== A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... David Adkins (born November 10, 1956) who uses the stage name Sinbad, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ... This article is about the theatrical medium and those who practice it. ... African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ...

His first single was the little-known "When You Gonna" released as a collaboration with Lisa Carter, but his first solo outing was "Never Gonna Give You Up," released in 1987. It became an immediate success, spending five weeks at the top of the British charts and becoming the year's highest-selling single. It was the first of 13 (world-wide) Top 30 hit singles for him. A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Audio sample Info Never Gonna Give You Up (help· info) For other uses, see Never Gonna Give You Up (disambiguation). ... See also: Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Previously Chart Information Network (CIN). ... In popular music, a chart-topper is an extremely popular recording, identified by its inclusion in a ranked list—a chart—of top selling or otherwise judged most popular releases. ...

The album Whenever You Need Somebody also reached Number One in the UK, and the hit singles continued, including the title track and a cover of Nat King Cole's "When I Fall in Love." Whenever You Need Somebody is Rick Astleys first album released in 1987 on RCA Records. ... In popular music, a chart-topper is an extremely popular recording, identified by its inclusion in a ranked list—a chart—of top selling or otherwise judged most popular releases. ... Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was a popular American singer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. ... When I Fall in Love is a popular song, written by Edward Heyman and Victor Young. ...

On 12 March 1988, "Never Gonna Give You Up" had also topped the U.S. singles chart and was followed by a second U.S. #1 on 18 June with his second U.S. single release "Together Forever." In 1989, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the Year. He lost to Tracy Chapman. is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: Musical groups established in 1988 Record labels established in 1988 // Peter Ruzicka becomes director of the Hamburg State Opera and State Philharmonic Orchestra. ... Audio sample Info Never Gonna Give You Up (help· info) For other uses, see Never Gonna Give You Up (disambiguation). ... On January 4, 1936, Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade and on July 20, 1940 the first Music Popularity Chart was calculated. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles, Fast Car, Talkin Bout a Revolution, Baby Can I Hold You and Give Me One Reason. She is a multi-platinum and multi-Grammy Award-winning artist. ...

The group FBI, from left to right, Kevin Needham, Rick Astley, Will Hopper, Peter Dale, & Greg Smee, in 1984.

By the end of the decade, Astley had parted company with Stock Aitken Waterman. He achieved one more major success with the 1991 ballad "Cry for Help," which reached the Top 10 in both the UK and the US. See also: // January 21 - Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart: it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40. ... See also: 1991 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels established in 1991 // 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... Illustration by Arthur Rackham of the ballad The Twa Corbies A ballad is a story, usually a narrative or poem, in a song. ... Top 40 is a radio format based on frequent repetition of songs from a constantly-updated list of the forty best-selling singles. ...

In 1991 the RIAA certified that two million copies of Whenever You Need Somebody had been sold. Total world sales of Astley's records (inclusive of singles, albums and compilation inclusions) have since reached 39.9 million. The RIAA Logo. ... Whenever You Need Somebody is Rick Astleys first album released in 1987 on RCA Records. ...

His next album Body and Soul was released in 1993. The album did not chart in the UK and managed to make the Billboard 200 peaking at #182. The two singles, The Ones You Love and Hopelessly performed very well on the adult contemporary chart, peaking at #19 and #4 respectively. Hopelessly also crossed over and peaked at #31 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ... Top 40 Mainstream (often also called Mainstream Top 40) is an airplay format from Billboard Magazine. ...

For much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Astley remained largely out of the spotlight. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... This article is about the decade of 2000-2009. ...

Almost 10 years after Body and Soul, Rick finally returned to the music world and released "Keep It Turned On" in 2002. The album featured the single "Sleeping", which became a minor club hit, thanks to a set of remixes from U.S. house producer Todd Terry.

In March 2005 Astley released the album Portrait in which he covered many classic soul standards such as "Vincent",^[3] "Nature Boy", and "Close to You". // In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition (performance or recording) of a previously recorded song. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... Vincent is a song by Don McLean written as a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. ... Nature Boy is a song by Eden Ahbez, published in 1947. ... (They Long to Be) Close to You is a popular song by The Carpenters External link Close To You (Lyrics and some information) Category: ...

In early 2006, Astley withdrew unexpectedly at the eleventh hour from appearing on the BBC TV celebrity/pro duets show Just the Two of Us after committing to the series. This led to criticism from those in the entertainment industry and media. His place was filled by singer Russell Watson, who eventually won the competition. The BBC failed to explain that Astley's withdrawal was due to his girlfriend Lene Bausager being nominated for the 2006 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for her produced/directed film Cashback. Astley would have missed a crucial part of the show by attending the awards ceremony and so withdrew before the show started its run.^[4] The Eleventh Hour is a figure of speech referring to the last moments before a deadline, or meant to imply that a decisive or final moment is near. ... This article is an overview article about the Crown chartered British Broadcasting Corporation formed in 1927. ... Russell Watson (born 24 November 1966 is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... // This name for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film was introduced in 1974. ... Sean Biggerstaff as Ben in Cashback Cashback is the name of two films directed by Sean Ellis: a 2004 short film and a 2006 feature film. ...

Based on various music charts in the UK, US, and Canada, Astley has charted a grand total of 14 (different) hit singles and 6 (different) hit albums as of March 2006. For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...

Rickroll Internet phenomenon

Main articles: Rickroll and Never Gonna Give You Up

In 2007^[5] Rick Astley became the subject of a viral Internet meme in which an estimated 25 million Internet users were tricked into watching the video for Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" by posting it under the name of other popular video titles.^[6] The practice is now known as Rickrolling. The phenomenon became so popular that on April 1, 2008, YouTube pranked the Internet community by making every single video link on the front page a Rickroll. Audio sample Info Never Gonna Give You Up (help· info) For other uses, see Never Gonna Give You Up (disambiguation). ... The Hampster Dance [sic] is one of the first widely distributed Internet memes and illustrates the characteristic silliness of much of the genre. ... April Fools Day and April Fools Day redirect here. ... YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ...

Discography

Main article: Rick Astley discography

Canada Top data: for singles and albums from The Record magazine. US Top data: for singles from The Billboard Hot 100, for albums from The Billboard 200; UK Top data for singles and albums is from UK Singles Chart. Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... “British Hit Singles” redirects here. ...

Albums

• 1991 Free (#17 Canada, #9 UK, #31 U.S.)
• 1993 Body & Soul (#185 U.S.)
• 2001 Keep It Turned On
• 2004 Portrait (#26 UK)

Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... The following lists the number one albums on the Australian Album Charts, during the 1980s. ... Audio sample Info Never Gonna Give You Up (help· info) For other uses, see Never Gonna Give You Up (disambiguation). ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Singles

“British Hit Singles” redirects here. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... Billboard magazines Hot Dance Club Play chart (also known as Club Play Singles, and formerly known as Hot Dance Music/Club Play and Hot Dance/Disco) is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs. ... The Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart (formerly known as Adult Contemporary Singles and only Adult Contemporary) lists the most popular songs weekly calculated by airplay and occasionally sales. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Audio sample Info Never Gonna Give You Up (help· info) For other uses, see Never Gonna Give You Up (disambiguation). ... When I Fall in Love is a popular song, written by Edward Heyman and Victor Young. ... Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg is also the name of a 1991 TLC single. ...

Compilations

• 2001 Together Forever - Greatest Hits and More...
• 2002 Greatest Hits
• 2003 The Best of Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
• 2004 Love Songs
• 2004 Platinum & Gold Collection

Platinum & Gold Collection was a release of Lits greatest hits, issued on May 4, 2004 by RCA Records. ...

See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Rick Astley

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
• Rickroll

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. ... This is a list of number-one hits in the United States by year from the Billboard Hot 100. ... This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on Billboard magazines weekly pop singles chart(s). ... Billboards Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart is a weekly national survey of popular songs in U.S. dance clubs. ... This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on Billboard magazines Hot Dance Club Play chart. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ... Google Trends is a tool from Google Labs that shows the most popularly searched terms from the beginning of 2004 to now. ... This article is about the corporation. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Unofficial Rick Astley website