When Rick Astley‘s “Never Gonna Give You Up” turned 35 in 2022, he marked the anniversary of this 1987 hit in an unexpected way: by recreating its iconic music video to a tee.
In the new video for “Never Gonna Give You Up,” which was produced for CSAA Insurance Group and runs for one minute, Astley reenacted the original 1987 video, scene-for-scene—even dancing in similar locations from the original music video—while employers from the insurance company dance along with him.
On social media, CSAA posted the new Astley video along with the tagline, “Our legendary service is never gonna let you down.” The post added, “You can start saving today on auto and home coverage that would never run around and desert you. Because with 100 years of experience, InsurAAAnce is no stranger to love or exceptional service.”
The video also features three versions of Astley wearing clothing similar to what he wore in the original music video when one of his clones asks, “Is this still a thing?” with the other two shrugging in response.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: 3 Songs You Didn’t Know Rick Astley Wrote for Other Artists]
Astley’s remake of “Never Gonna Give You Up” marked the 35th anniversary of the song, which the singer and songwriter joked is old enough to be President of the U.S., and has “got a life of [its] own at this point.”
Released as the first single from Astley’s debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody, “Never Gonna Give You Up” topped the charts in 25 countries, including the U.S., when released in 1987.
To date, the video, which was directed by Simon West and filmed in London, has surpassed 1.7 billion views on YouTube (as of 2026). The 2022 version has also reached 8.7 million views since its release.
In 2007, two decades after its release, “Never Gonna Give You Up” was introduced to a new generation and had a resurgence when it became the punchline for a viral internet meme called “rickrolling” or “rickroll,” named after Astley.
“Rickrolling” was a humorous prank that occurred when a link to the music video for “Never Gonna Give You Up” was sent to unsuspecting recipients under different pretenses.
To commemorate the anniversary of his 1987 debut, Astley also released a remastered 35th-anniversary edition of Whenever You Need Somebody. Astley also released his seventh studio album, 50, in 2016.
Astley admitted to burnout from the song in the past, but has a new appreciation for the legacy of his hit and how “Never Gonna Give You Up’’ has managed to connect across generations since its release.
“Once I’m up there doing it, I get lost in it, and I just enjoy it,” said Astley in 2025 of performing these days. “I kind of know that I’ve got that song, ‘Never Gonna Give You Up,’ at the end of the gig and go ‘Well, at least they’ll know that one.’”
Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
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