I have never interpreted this as making fun of Rick Astley, just a stupid joke to trick people into watching something. I totally agree, he is very talented.
The meme has been a huge benefit to him as well, his popularity skyrocketed with a generation that wasn’t around when he was first popular and led to tons of listens and sales of his music, heck they even had him play at the Macy’s day parade!
As I recall, I read an interview with him, and he didn’t quite understand the meme, but he was thrilled it had blown up his popularity again and introduced so many new people to his music.
In the UK on the BBC One new year coverage he was the main act. That likely would not have happened this late in his career without the meme.
It was also the song he played immediately following the London fireworks coverage at about 00:10. Probably going for some record number of people rick rolled at once.
I have never interpreted this as making fun of Rick Astley, just a stupid joke to trick people into watching something. I totally agree, he is very talented.
The meme has been a huge benefit to him as well, his popularity skyrocketed with a generation that wasn’t around when he was first popular and led to tons of listens and sales of his music, heck they even had him play at the Macy’s day parade!
As I recall, I read an interview with him, and he didn’t quite understand the meme, but he was thrilled it had blown up his popularity again and introduced so many new people to his music.
In the UK on the BBC One new year coverage he was the main act. That likely would not have happened this late in his career without the meme.
It was also the song he played immediately following the London fireworks coverage at about 00:10. Probably going for some record number of people rick rolled at once.