It was received as a typical Stock, Aitken and Waterman product, very, very, very similar to Jason Donovan, Mel&Kim, Kylie Minogue and the likes. It was like a train of one hit wonders: one smash hit, a few less popular songs and then forgotten. By the end of the eighties, most people had enough of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman formula. And then for some reason, Rickrolling happened.

While I was a teenager in the latter half of the eighties, Stock, Aitken and Waterman totally dominated mainstream music on radio in Ireland (and presumably Britain). In the summer of ‘87, I spent a week painting an uncle’s house with only a battery-powered “transistor radio” for company. During this time, “Never Gonna Give You Up” was played about once every 90 minutes or so – and I grew to really hate it.

I blame Stock, Aitken and Waterman for putting me off pop music and turning me into something of a music snob which lasted until well into my twenties. Having said that, I had a soft spot for Mel and Kim’s “Respectable” as a guilty pleasure and I thought “Roadblock” was a genuinely good tune (though I preferred “Pump up the volume” by MARRS).

Peaked at #1

https://www.billboard.com/music/rick-astley/chart-history/HS...

I was more into Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins at the time, but it was a catchy song, and I would find myself humming along. I was amazed as everyone else when it got a second life via the internet.

I was 14, in France, and as others said it was a hit like many others, even if a catchy one. I also don't know why Rickrolling took off but I distinctly remember the feeling of surprise, then joy the first times it happened to me. Being tricked plus the nostalgia feeling gave me really good vibes about this, I guess it was the same for many people and why it worked so well.

Eh yeah! The charts were full of that kind of thing so seemed kind of normal.

It was one of many pop hits of the time.

If I remember right, I mildly enjoyed it.

I thought it was "cheesy" but the cute girl who sat behind me in homeroom loved it so I didn't give her too hard of a time about it.

Yep, I was 17. I thought it was super-cringey manufactured trash. Well, it was written/produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, who cornered the market in super-cringey teen-pop trash.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_Aitken_Waterman

I was but punk and metal were more my thing, so I ignored it along with Tiffany, Poison, and Belinda Carlisle...

No one seemed to play it anywhere in Seattle that I went to, for whatever it's worth.

Back then I was a teenager and I would have told you exactly what I thought of it.

This song was always way better than the other SAW output IMHO. Great song, endearing performance - it's not just audio of <someone> singing it's this video of cheerful Rick singing and bopping around.