Origin
Emerged from 4chan in May 2007 as bait-and-switch prank. Users would promise interesting content via link, which instead led to Rick Astley’s 1987 music video “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
Cultural Phenomenon
Became the internet’s longest-running inside joke. The practice of “rickrolling” spread beyond 4chan to Reddit, YouTube, Twitter, and eventually mainstream culture. Rick Astley embraced the meme.
Major Moments
- 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade: Rick Astley surprise performance = IRL rickroll
- 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards: Rick Astley won Best Act Ever
- 2016 Reddit: r/pics rickrolled all subreddits April Fools
- 2020 Pandemic: Astley rickrolled from his home during quarantine
- 2021: YouTube rickroll video hit 1 billion views
Legacy
“Never Gonna Give You Up” became one of the most-viewed videos on YouTube (1.5+ billion views) purely through meme culture. Revived Astley’s career 20+ years after original release.
Endurance
Still active in 2023 as the ultimate bait-and-switch. QR codes enabled physical-world rickrolling.