Foo Fighters Amaze Fans with Live “Never Gonna Give You Up” alongside Rick Astley

At their O2 show in London, the Foo Fighters, known for their playful spirit, gave fans an unforgettable experience by bringing out Rick Astley for a spontaneous performance of his iconic hit “Never Gonna Give You Up”. The band ingeniously blended the song with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, allowing Astley to infuse a rock edge into his typically smooth delivery. This unique collaboration captivated the stadium, with fans and the band alike thoroughly enjoying the moment. The performance quickly became a sensation online, attracting over 9.1 million views, as seen in the clip below.

Despite having retired once and being 52 at the time, Astley’s vocal performance was spot-on, much to the delight of Foo Fighters’ lead Dave Grohl, who was visibly thrilled with the surprise. The Foo Fighters and Astley have shared the stage on several occasions, notably in Tokyo, where they performed an impromptu rendition of “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Astley has also covered the Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” in a studio session, which resonated well with fans, garnering 5.3 million views.

Astley’s rendition of “Everlong” stayed true to the original, yet he added his own vocal nuances, resulting in a compelling cover. Speaking with Virgin Radio UK, Astley shared that his initial collaboration with the Foo Fighters in Japan was unplanned and unrehearsed. He highlighted the spontaneous nature of their first performance together, emphasizing the exhilarating and impromptu aspect of singing “Never Gonna Give You Up” with the band to a massive audience, making it a truly memorable moment.