How old was Rick Astley in 1987? Evergreen singer’s 'Never Gonna Give You Up' insurance commercial wins hearts online

Rick Astley in the original Never Gonna Give You Up video from 1987 and the recent ad. (Screenshots via YouTube)
Rick Astley in the original Never Gonna Give You Up video from 1987 and the recent ad. (Screenshots via YouTube)

Time seems to have barely passed for English singer Rick Astley as he recreated a popular track from the '80s in a commercial. In an advertisement for AAA Auto Insurance, he can be seen singing his hit song Never Gonna Give You Up. The new ad came out 35 years after the release of the original.

The song was released in 1987 when Rick Astley was 21. Today, the British singer is 56 years old. This basically means that more time has passed since the song's release than the singer's age at the time of its original release.

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However, the makers have tried their best to match the vibe of the new song with that of the original song. For one, Rick Astley is seen rocking similar outfits to those that he wore in 1987.

As for the setup, the ad features AAA offices instead of the ballroom and a water cooler has replaced the bar from the original song. The backup dancers, meanwhile, are AAA employees wearing polo-neck T-shirts.

The ad also took lyrics from the original song and features a list of things that the insurance won't do. These include promises of not giving up, letting you down, running around, deserting you and saying goodbye.

Never Gonna Give You Up was released as the first single from Astley's debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987).


Fans react to Rick Astley’s insurance commercial featuring single from 1987

Nostalgic fans took to social media to react to the commercial. While some called Rick Astley a "gift to humanity," others called the ad the best commercial of the year.

Astley also spoke about the recreation and in a statement, he said:

"It has been an amazing trip down memory lane. The song has been so good to me, and I'm thrilled to be working with another iconic brand that has certainly stood the test of time."

The English singer-songwriter also shared the video on Twitter on the song's 35th anniversary. At the time, he wrote:

"'Never Gonna Give You Up' is 35 years old today! If it was a person it would be old enough to be President according to US law! It's really got a life of it's own at this point & I just appreciate all the love, fun & laughter that surrounds it! Here's to the next 35! Rick."

What is the Rickroll meme?

Rick Astley's song has been famous for years and even before the release of the ad. The meme, often referred to as Rickrolling or a Rickroll, features the Never Gonna Give You Up by Astley. It has over 1 billion views on YouTube. The song was used as a bait and switch meme where people use a disguised hyperlink that leads to the music video.

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The landing page leads to where the victim expects to go, and then switches to Astley's video. That's when a person gets Rickrolled. The meme saw popularity in 2007 and 2008 when YouTube used it in 2008 for its April Fools' Day event.

Astley, who was then returning to performing after a 10-year-hiatus, grew even more popular after the meme.


Other than Never Gonna Give You Up, Rick Astley’s other popular songs include Together Forever and Whenever You Need Somebody. Apart from his musical career, Astley has also worked as a radio DJ and a podcaster.

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Edited by Madhur Dave