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Some people may wonder why the BBC is starting off 2024 with “Mr. 1987.” This implies that they may have overlooked the impressive comeback of Rick Astley. On Sunday evening, the 1980s singer will be hosting BBC One’s New Year’s Eve program from the Roundhouse in Camden, located in north-west London. He follows in the footsteps of previous hosts Sam Ryder and Years & Years, led by Olly Alexander.
Stars return. It is their natural cycle. However, not many are able to do it in a way that makes them appear endlessly more impressive than before. As Astley, who is 57, continues to ride the wave of the Rickrolling craze (more on that later), his 2023 has been exceptional.
His newest record, Are We There Yet?, achieved the second spot on the charts. He also performed at various festivals, including Glastonbury in 2023. Notably, he graced the Pyramid stage twice, incorporating popular songs from artists such as Harry Styles, Chic, and AC/DC along with his own impressively varied collection of hits.
On the Woodsies platform, Blossoms, a Stockport indie band, played a full set of 16 Smiths covers (a performance they had only done twice before). Their heartfelt and skillful execution of the songs, coupled with their respect for the music, melted the hearts of the audience at Worthy Farm.
How did this “cool” phenomenon with Astley come about? During the 1980s, Astley worked with hit makers Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) and was labeled as the devil of manufactured pop. He was often mocked as a mere “puppet” of the industry and SAW’s assistant, a rumor that stemmed from Astley’s origins as a drummer and temporary studio technician from Lancashire. His kindness in making tea for others in the studio led to this misconception.
Despite being a massive success, it was insignificant that his 1987 song Never Gonna Give You Up won the award for best single at the 1988 Brit awards and reached number one on the charts in 25 countries, including the US. Additionally, his first album, Whenever You Need Somebody, sold over 15 million copies. The fact that the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up features Astley energetically dancing in a trenchcoat, resembling a less expensive version of Jim Kerr from Simple Minds, adds to its charm and represents the epitome of the 1980s.
Most artists go through periods of struggle in their career, facing criticism and lack of commercial success. Rick Astley was no different. He tried to reinvent himself after his success with Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) in 1991 with his album “Free.” On the cover, he sported long hair (reminiscent of Michael Hutchence after a failed blow-dry) and a serious, brooding expression to show that he was a serious artist.
Despite maintaining his songwriting while owning a home recording studio, he eventually took a substantial hiatus to focus on raising his daughter with his wife, Lene Bausager, who is a Danish film producer and now his manager. He resumed touring in 2004.
It is impossible to have a meaningful conversation about Astley’s revival without acknowledging Rickrolling, the viral internet trend of the 2000s where individuals are tricked into clicking a link and watching the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
The video, officially released, has gained almost 1.5 billion views on the platform YouTube. This makes Astley the fourth artist from the 1980s to reach over a billion views, following behind Michael Jackson, a-ha, and Guns N’ Roses. A survey conducted in 2008 revealed that 18 million Americans had experienced being Rickrolled.
Astley laughed off Rickrolling, hailing it as “brilliant” and “funny”. Also in 2008, he Rickrolled the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City with a surprise performance. He has said his personal favourite Rickroll is one where Barack Obama’s speeches are cut up to look like he’s singing the song.
In 2017, Astley made a surprise appearance with Foo Fighters, where he performed a cover of their song “Everlong” and Rickrolled the audience. In 2022, he reflected, “The video and the song have taken on a life of their own and evolved into something different.”
It is worth mentioning that, despite being a child of the 80s, Astley is adept at using social media. He recently debuted “RickTok” on TikTok, where he can be seen dancing in a trenchcoat. He also shared videos of himself jet-washing his garbage bins while wearing a lilac suit and wellies, grooving to a Dua Lipa song.
Does he possess the innate ability to effortlessly incorporate new mediums into his playful nature, all while maintaining a mature “dad-rock” aura? Could his secret be emitting an essence that’s so uncool, it actually circles back to being cool?
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It’s possible that one of the reasons Astley is so popular is because of his genuine and transparent public image. He exudes a sense of excitement and modesty, even going so far as to praise Johnny Marr’s unique guitar playing and approach as unparalleled. He also comes across as a refreshing and genuine figure in the world of contemporary pop music.
Astley’s renditions of Smiths songs have been praised as the “ultimate karaoke” and he also offers Morrissey-free performances at his solo shows. However, unlike William Shatner’s surprising and impressive cover of Pulp’s Common People with Joe Jackson, Astley chooses to only cover songs that he truly admires. His tributes to the Smiths’ Panic and AC/DC’s Highway to Hell are straightforward and heartfelt, as he applies his musical talent and powerful baritone to these songs with the same dedication and emotion that he puts into his own original material.
Has Astley shown a shrewdness beyond expectations with the high number of units sold? He appears to recognize the power of the public’s support for him. In January 2023, he filed a lawsuit against US rapper Yung Gravy (also known as musician Matthew Hauri) for using a singer to imitate his voice on the track Betty (Get Money). The legal matter was resolved in September.
Undoubtedly, Astley is currently experiencing a successful phase in his career. He is catering to the profitable heritage market by providing a unique package of original songs and impressive covers, which not many others are doing in a similar manner.
He is now introducing the BBC’s new year. This could be seen as Astley becoming a “national treasure” (as Brits tend to appreciate hardworking and resilient individuals). It may also have roots in his early days at SAW recording studios, where he used to be a shy technician and aspiring singer who would offer to make tea.
Maybe Astley demonstrates that being kind doesn’t always result in finishing last.
Source: theguardian.com
