Foo Fighters Delight Fans By Performing “Never Gonna Give You Up” On Stage With Rick Astley

Foo Fighters are known for their lively performances, and their show at London’s O2 Arena was no different. They delighted fans with a surprise appearance by Rick Astley, who performed his iconic hit, “Never Gonna Give You Up.” The band created a fun mashup, combining Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with the chords from Astley’s song, while Rick added a rock twist to his usual smooth vocals.

This unexpected collaboration worked brilliantly, with the crowd going wild. The chemistry on stage was undeniable, and the audience loved every moment. Online, the performance was a hit too, with the video racking up 9.1 million views, as you can see in the clip below.

Astley, who was 52 at the time, had retired from music once but still delivered an outstanding vocal performance. Foo Fighters’ frontman, Dave Grohl, couldn’t hide his joy throughout the performance, clearly enjoying the surprise element that delighted their fans.

Interestingly, Foo Fighters and Rick Astley have a history of performing together. They’ve shared the stage multiple times, including a memorable performance in Tokyo where they spontaneously played “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Astley has also paid tribute to the Foo Fighters by covering their song “Everlong,” which became a hit online, garnering 5.3 million views.

Astley’s cover of “Everlong” is a beautiful rendition where he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, staying true to the original while adding his unique vocal touch. The result is a cover that both honors the original and brings something fresh.

In an interview with Virgin Radio UK, Astley shared that his first performance with the Foo Fighters in Japan was completely unplanned. He explained that he was performing at the same festival as the band and was watching their set from the side of the stage. Being a big fan of Grohl and Hawkins, Astley was thrilled when a roadie handed him a mic, saying, “Dave wants you onstage.”

Astley admitted that he was jet-lagged and had a couple of beers by then, but he wasn’t going to miss this chance. He revealed that the Foo Fighters had somehow learned “Never Gonna Give You Up” and had jammed it, hoping to get Astley to join them on stage during the festival.

Astley described the experience as surreal, singing to 50,000 people with the Foo Fighters in a “weird and wonderful” version of his hit song. He added that it was a wild moment and gave a heads-up to anyone searching for the video on YouTube, noting there’s quite a bit of swearing at the beginning as he got caught up in the excitement of the moment.