Rick Astley's debut single "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a No. 1 hit in over 25 countries and won the Brit Award for Best British Single in 1988.
Astley's challenging childhood, marked by his parents' divorce, significantly influenced his desire for attention and his eventual career in music.
His 1987 album "Whenever You Need Somebody" sold 15 million copies worldwide, establishing him as a major pop star.
Biography
Early Life
Richard Paul Astley was born on February 6, 1966, in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, England. He was the fourth child of Horace and Cynthia Astley, whose divorce when he was just five years old left a significant mark on his childhood. Raised primarily by his father, Rick described his upbringing as challenging, noting that it shaped his desire for attention and ultimately led him to pursue a career in music. At the age of ten, he began singing in a local church choir, igniting his passion for music.
Career
Astley's music career took off in the mid-1980s when he signed with the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman. His debut album, "Whenever You Need Somebody," released in 1987, sold over 15 million copies worldwide and included the iconic hit "Never Gonna Give You Up," which topped charts in more than 25 countries. This song not only won the Brit Award for Best British Single in 1988 but also became a cultural phenomenon decades later through the viral meme known as rickrolling. Throughout his career, Astley released several successful albums, including "Hold Me in Your Arms" and "Beautiful Life," and became known for his distinctive blue-eyed soul and dance-pop sound.
Personal Life
Rick Astley has been married to film producer Lene Bausager since 2013, after meeting her in 1987. They have a daughter who is a garden designer. Astley enjoys various hobbies, including building sheds and traveling, and he has even opened pubs in London in partnership with a Danish brewery. In recent years, he has faced personal challenges, including hearing loss, but continues to engage with his fans and the music community.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Are We There Yet?2023
- 1.Dippin My Feet3:12
- 2.Letting Go3:23
- 3.Golden Hour3:46
- 4.Never Gonna Stop3:18
- 5.Close (Your Shoes)3:37
- 6.High Enough3:28
- 7.Forever and More3:37
- 8.Driving Me Crazy3:32
- 9.Maria Love3:34
- 10.Take Me Back to Your Place3:15
- 11.Waterfall3:12
- 12.Blue Sky3:17
The Best of Me2019
- 1.Every One of Us3:08
- 2.Never Gonna Give You Up3:34
- 3.Whenever You Need Somebody3:55
- 4.When I Fall in Love3:04
- 5.Together Forever3:27
- 6.(It Would Take a) Strong Strong Man3:42
- 7.She Wants to Dance With Me3:16
- 8.Take Me to Your Heart3:29
- 9.Hold Me in Your Arms4:35
- 10.Cry for Help4:06
- 11.Sleeping3:43
- 12.Lights Out3:12
- 13.Keep Singing3:59
- 14.Angels on My Side3:36
- 15.Dance3:15
- 16.This Old House4:31
- 17.Beautiful Life3:44
- 18.Try3:54
- 19.She Makes Me3:35
- 20.Never Gonna Give You Up (pianoforte)3:27
- 21.Together Forever (reimagined)4:02
- 22.Whenever You Need Somebody (reimagined)4:00
- 23.When I Fall in Love (reimagined)3:38
- 24.Beautiful Life (reimagined)3:30
- 25.She Wants to Dance With Me (reimagined)3:20
- 26.Hold Me in Your Arms (reimagined)3:44
- 27.Cry for Help (reimagined)3:50
- 28.Keep Singing (reimagined)3:42
- 29.Angels on My Side (reimagined)3:49
- 30.Try (reimagined)3:45
Beautiful Life2018
- 1.Beautiful Life3:44
- 2.Chance to Dance3:12
- 3.She Makes Me3:35
- 4.Shivers3:39
- 5.Last Night on Earth3:38
- 6.Every Corner3:25
- 7.I Need the Light3:05
- 8.Better Together3:13
- 9.Empty Heart4:15
- 10.Rise Up3:15
- 11.Try3:55
- 12.The Good Old Days3:48
502016
- 1.Keep Singing3:59
- 2.Angels on My Side3:36
- 3.Wish Away3:27
- 4.This Old House4:31
- 5.Pieces3:58
- 6.God Says3:15
- 7.I Like the Sun3:41
- 8.Somebody Loves Me3:22
- 9.Let It Rain3:52
- 10.Pray With Me3:39
- 11.Coming Home Tonight3:28
- 12.Let It Be Tonight3:48
The Best of Rick Astley2014
- 1.Never Gonna Give You Up3:33
- 2.Whenever You Need Somebody3:27
- 3.When I Fall in Love3:02
- 4.My Arms Keep Missing You3:14
- 5.Together Forever3:21
- 6.She Wants to Dance With Me3:16
- 7.Take Me to Your Heart3:28
- 8.Hold Me in Your Arms4:22
- 9.Cry for Help4:04
- 10.Move Right Out3:54
- 11.Never Knew Love3:06
- 12.The Ones You Love4:19
- 13.Hopelessly3:35
- 14.Don’t Say Goodbye4:09
- 15.It Would Take a Strong Strong Man3:38
- 16.I Don’t Want to Lose Her3:34
- 17.Together Forever (Lover’s Leap remix)3:21
- 18.She Wants to Dave With Me (Watermix)3:16
My Red Book2012
Tracklist not collected yet.
Free…Plus + Body & Soul…Plus2010
- 1.In the Name of Love4:30
- 2.Cry for Help4:53
- 3.Move Right Out3:55
- 4.Be With You4:14
- 5.Really Got a Problem4:20
- 6.Is This Really Love?3:29
- 7.This Must Be Heaven4:46
- 8.Never Knew Love3:10
- 9.The Bottom Line5:18
- 10.Wonderful You5:13
- 11.Behind the Smile4:38
- 12.Some Kinda Love4:27
- 13.So Glad3:24
- 14.Cry for Help (single edit)4:19
- 15.Move Right Out (7″ version)3:55
- 16.Never Knew Love (7″ remix)3:07
- 17.Cry for Help (12″ version)6:27
- 18.Move Right Out (vox, piano, strings mix)3:38
- 19.The Ones You Love4:45
- 20.Waiting for the Bell to Ring4:55
- 21.Hopelessly3:37
- 22.A Dream for Us6:09
- 23.Body and Soul4:11
- 24.Enough Love4:10
- 25.Nature’s Gift4:30
- 26.Remember the Days4:00
- 27.Everytime4:56
- 28.When You Love Someone4:17
- 29.Stop Breaking Your Heart4:15
- 30.The Ones You Love (single edit)4:22
- 31.Hopelessly (live)3:49
- 32.Move Right Out (12″ mix)6:35
- 33.Never Knew Love (The 3 Day mix)8:37
- 34.The Ones You Love (instrumental)4:51
Playlist: The Very Best of Rick Astley2008
- 1.Never Gonna Give You Up3:33
- 2.Whenever You Need Somebody3:27
- 3.Together Forever (Lover’s Leap remix)3:20
- 4.My Arms Keep Missing You3:14
- 5.She Wants to Dance With Me (Watermix)3:14
- 6.Take Me to Your Heart3:27
- 7.Don’t Say Goodbye4:02
- 8.I Don’t Want to Lose Her3:31
- 9.Giving Up on Love (7″ Pop version)4:01
- 10.It Would Take a Strong Strong Man3:39
- 11.Hold Me in Your Arms (7″ version)4:27
- 12.When I Fall in Love2:59
- 13.Cry for Help (single edit)4:03
- 14.Hopelessly3:34
Ultimate Collection2008
- 1.Never Gonna Give You Up3:34
- 2.Together Forever3:22
- 3.My Arms Keep Missing You3:15
- 4.Whenever You Need Somebody3:27
- 5.She Wants to Dance With Me3:16
- 6.When I Fall in Love3:03
- 7.Cry for Help4:05
- 8.Take Me to Your Heart3:29
- 9.It Would Take a Strong Strong Man3:40
- 10.Hold Me in Your Arms4:23
- 11.Hopelessly3:36
- 12.Move Right Out3:55
- 13.The Ones You Love4:20
- 14.Never Knew Love3:07
- 15.Body and Soul4:11
- 16.Vincent3:22
- 17.Full of You4:28
Together Forever: The Best of Rick Astley2007
- 1.Never Gonna Give You Up3:35
- 2.Whenever You Need Somebody3:56
- 3.When I Fall in Love3:04
- 4.Together Forever3:27
- 5.It Would Take a Strong Strong Man3:42
- 6.The Love Has Gone4:21
- 7.Don’t Say Goodbye4:10
- 8.Slipping Away3:54
- 9.You Move Me3:44
- 10.No More Looking for Love3:15
- 11.She Wants to Dance With Me3:17
- 12.Take Me to Your Heart3:31
- 13.Hold Me in Your Arms4:34
- 14.Giving Up on Love4:05
- 15.Ain’t Too Proud to Beg4:20
- 16.Till Then (Time Stands Still)3:19
- 17.Dial My Number4:11
- 18.I’ll Never Let You Down3:59
- 19.Cry for Help4:51
- 20.Move Right Out3:53
- 21.Never Knew Love3:09
- 22.I Don’t Want to Be Your Lover4:00
- 23.In the Name of Love4:27
- 24.Be With You4:11
- 25.Really Got a Problem4:17
- 26.Is This Really Love?3:29
- 27.This Must Be Heaven4:44
- 28.The Bottom Line5:17
- 29.Wonderful You5:12
- 30.Behind the Smile4:36
- 31.The Ones You Love4:38
- 32.Hopelessly3:36
- 33.Waiting for the Bells to Ring4:52
- 34.A Dream for Us6:08
- 35.Body and Soul4:10
- 36.When You Love Someone4:14
Collection2006
- 1.Never Gonna Give You Up3:32
- 2.Together Forever (Lover’s Leap remix)3:22
- 3.She Wants to Dance With Me (Watermix)3:16
- 4.It Would Take a Strong Man3:38
- 5.Cry for Help4:50
- 6.Giving Up on Love (7″ Pop version)4:07
- 7.Hopelessly3:35
- 8.My Arms Keep Missing You3:14
- 9.I’ll Never Set You Free3:26
- 10.Just Good Friends3:51
- 11.I’ll Be Fine3:48
- 12.Some Kinda Love4:25
Portrait2005
- 1.Vincent3:24
- 2.And I Love You So2:55
- 3.Portrait of My Love2:44
- 4.Where Do I Begin3:37
- 5.These Foolish Things3:49
- 6.Cry Me a River4:03
- 7.Nature Boy3:12
- 8.(They Long to Be) Close to You3:05
- 9.You Belong to Me2:50
- 10.Make It Easy on Yourself2:57
- 11.Somewhere2:47
- 12.Can’t Help Falling in Love3:15
- 13.What the World Needs Now3:00
Love Songs2004
Tracklist not collected yet.
Platinum & Gold Collection2004
Tracklist not collected yet.
Artist Collection2004
Tracklist not collected yet.
Greatest Hits2003
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Best of Rick Astley: Never Gonna Give You Up2003
Tracklist not collected yet.
3 Originals2002
Tracklist not collected yet.
Greatest Hits2002
Tracklist not collected yet.
Keep It Turned On2001
Tracklist not collected yet.
Body & Soul1993
Tracklist not collected yet.
Free1991
Tracklist not collected yet.
12 Inch Collection1989
Tracklist not collected yet.
Hold Me in Your Arms1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
Whenever You Need Somebody1987
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Sony Music
- Record label
- Stock Aitken Waterman
- Record label
- RCA Records
- Record label
- Polydor Records
Groups
- Rick Astley & Blossoms2021current
- FBIcurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Dick Spatsley, Richard Paul Astley, Rick Ashley, Rick Asley, RickAstleyVEVO
Richard Paul Astley is an English singer, songwriter, radio DJ and podcaster. He gained fame through his association with the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, releasing the 1987 album Whenever You Need Somebody, which sold 15 million copies worldwide and was certified platinum by both the BPI and the RIAA. His debut single "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a No. 1 hit in more than 25 countries, winning the 1988 Brit Award for Best British Single. The song also stayed at the top of the UK chart for five weeks in 1987 and was the best-selling single of that year. His 1988 single "Together Forever" also topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and was one of his eight songs to reach the UK Singles Chart top 10.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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