New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Rick Astley, who has sold over 40 million records worldwide, is enjoying a remarkable career surgence and will celebrate the 35th anniversary of his landmark debut album Whenever You Need Somebody with a remastered and expanded edition to be released May 6 on BMG. Astley's 1987 multi-platinum debut topped charts in 25 countries and featured one of the most recognizable singles ever - the worldwide #1 song "Never Gonna Give You Up" - plus hits "Together Forever" and the title track.
Astley is also featured on a 57-date arena tour with New Kids On The Block, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue that kicks off May 10.
A new 4K version of his classic "Together Forever" music video has also been shared, watch here:
Astley returned to music in a big way in 2016, with 50. Entirely written and produced by Astley, the album is certified Platinum, was a #1 UK hit that sold over 400,000 copies and led to performances on Good Morning America, a feature in the New Yorker and far beyond. Beautiful Life in 2018 followed, a top 10 UK release. Astley has since played with the Foo Fighters, made international headlines for performing the songs The Smiths with Manchester band Blossoms, soundtracked a key late season scene on Ted Lasso, launched a lockdown video series that's amassed 10.3 million views on YouTube with a growing catalog of cover songs (including the just-released "abcdefu"), and two fall 2021 concerts —at London's Wembley Arena and in Manchester—benefitted the UK's National Health Service.
While Astley continues to make new music, perform, and pursue new ventures, the resonance of his debut recording never fades. Last year, "Never Gonna Give You Up" achieved a rare milestone in becoming one of 23 music videos from the pre-internet era to hit one billion views on YouTube. He has over six million monthly listeners on Spotify and is active on social media, where 2.1 million fans follow him on TikTok. In partnership with Jacqui and Kevin Hughes, Astley also recently launched BUB CLUB. The YouTube channel for pre-schoolers shows animations filled with original music and enhanced versions of classic nursery rhymes and songs. Astley is also co-writing and co-producing new songs for BUB CLUB.
Whenever You Need Somebody (2022 Remaster) is a two-CD set and digital release that boasts the remastered original album plus b-sides, remixes, and Astley's own reimagined versions of the album's original singles. The set includes an expansive booklet featuring previously unseen photos from 1987/88, liner notes by Craig McLean, and reflections from Astley and two of the original album's songwriting contributors, Mike Stock and Pete Waterman (of Stock, Aitken and Waterman). The project was remastered at Abbey Road.
Says Astley, "Whenever I sing these songs or even hear them on the radio, it brings back so many great memories. It makes me appreciate how lucky I was to have met all the people I worked with around making that first record. 'Never Gonna Give You Up' established me in America and let me travel the world—which, for a 21-year-old from Newton-le-Willows, was mind-blowing. I'm still reaping the benefits from that today."
Just days after the reissue is released, Astley joins New Kids on the Block, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue for the 57-date "Mixtape 2022" U.S. arena tour. The tour's launch video was recently trending in the Top 20 on YouTube and features the performers' tongue-in-cheek romp through milestones of the late 80s/early 90s pop music scene.
Whenever You Need Somebody (2022 Remaster) 2-CD Track List + DigitalDeluxe Release. Pre-order here: https://rickastley.lnk.to/WYNS2022PR
CD (2022 Remaster) - Digisleeve
1. Never Gonna Give You Up
2. Whenever You Need Somebody
3. Together Forever
4. It Would Take A Strong Strong Man
5. The Love Has Gone
6. Don't Say Goodbye
7. Slipping Away
8. No More Looking For Love
9. You Move Me
10. When I Fall In Love
CD1
1. Never Gonna Give You Up - 2022 Remaster
2. Whenever You Need Somebody - 2022 Remaster
3. Together Forever - 2022 Remaster
4. It Would Take A Strong Strong Man - 2022 Remaster
5. The Love Has Gone - 2022 Remaster
6. Don't Say Goodbye - 2022 Remaster
7. Slipping Away - 2022 Remaster
8. No More Looking For Love - 2022 Remaster
9. You Move Me - 2022 Remaster
10. When I Fall In Love - 2022 Remaster
11. My Arms Keep Missing You
12. I'll Never Set You Free - 7" Mix
13. Just Good Friends
14. Never Gonna Give You Up (Pianoforte)
15. Together Forever (Reimagined)
16. Whenever You Need Somebody (Reimagined)
17. When I Fall In Love (Reimagined)
CD2
1. Never Gonna Give You Up (Phil Harding 12" Mix)
2. Together Forever (Lover's Leap Remix)
3. My Arms Keep Missing You (The "Where's The Harry" Remix)
4. Whenever You Need Somebody (XK 150 Mix)
5. My Arms Keep Missing You (Bruno's Remix)
6. Never Gonna Give You Up (Cake Mix)
7. Whenever You Need Somebody (Lonely Hearts Mix)
8. /My Arms Keep Missing You (No L Mix)
9. Never Gonna Give You Up (Escape From Newton Mix)
10. Together Forever (House Of Love Mix)
11. Whenever You Need Somebody (Rick Sets It Off Mix)
12. Never Gonna Give You Up (Instrumental)
13. It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (Instrumental)
14. Whenever You Need Somebody (Instrumental)
Digital Deluxe
1. Never Gonna Give You Up - 2022 Remaster
2. Whenever You Need Somebody - 2022 Remaster
3. Together Forever - 2022 Remaster
4. It Would Take A Strong Strong Man - 2022 Remaster
5. The Love Has Gone - 2022 Remaster
6. Don't Say Goodbye - 2022 Remaster
7. Slipping Away - 2022 Remaster
8. No More Looking For Love - 2022 Remaster
9. You Move Me - 2022 Remaster
10. When I Fall In Love - 2022 Remaster
11. My Arms Keep Missing You
12. I'll Never Set You Free - 7" Mix
13. Just Good Friends
14. Never Gonna Give You Up (Pianoforte)
15. Together Forever (Reimagined)
16. Whenever You Need Somebody (Reimagined)
17. When I Fall In Love (Reimagined)
18. Never Gonna Give You Up (Phil Harding 12" Mix)
19. Together Forever (Lover's Leap Remix)
20. Whenever You Need Somebody (Radio Edit)
21. My Arms Keep Missing You (The "Where's The Harry" Remix)
22. Whenever You Need Somebody (XK 150 Mix)
23. My Arms Keep Missing You (Bruno's Remix)
24. Never Gonna Give You Up (Cake Mix)
25. Whenever You Need Somebody (Lonely Hearts Mix)
26. My Arms Keep Missing You (No L Mix)
27. Never Gonna Give You Up (Escape From Newton Mix)
28. Together Forever (House Of Love Mix)
29. Whenever You Need Somebody (Rick Sets It Off Mix)
30. Never Gonna Give You Up (Escape To New York Mix)
31. Together Forever (Lover's Leap Extended Remix)
32. It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (Matt's Jazzy Guitar Mix)
33. My Arms Keep Missing You (Dub)
34. Never Gonna Give You Up (Instrumental)
35. It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (Instrumental)
36. Whenever You Need Somebody (Instrumental)
U.S. Tour With New Kids On The Block (57 Dates):
Tue 10 May Heritage Bank Center Cincinnati, OH
Thu 12 May Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN
Fri 13 May Bridgestone Arena Nashville, TN
Sat 14 May Enterprise Center St Louis, MO
Sun 15 May T-Mobile Center Kansas City, MO
Mon 16 May Paycom Center Oklahoma City, OK
Wed 18 May Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA
Thu 19 May Toyota Center Houston, TX
Fri 20 May Bert Ogden Arena Edinburg, TX
Sat 21 May AT&T Center San Antonio, TX
Sun 22 May American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
Wed 25 May Footprint Center Phoenix, AZ
Thu 26 May Viejas Arena San Diego, CA
Fri 27 May Crypto.Com Arena Los Angeles, CA
Sat 28 May Honda Center Anaheim, CA
Sun 29 May Michelob Ultra Arena At Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Las Vegas, NV
Tue 31 May Save Mart Center Fresno, CA
Wed 1 June Sap Center At San Jose San Jose, CA
Thu 2 June Golden 1 Center Sacramento, CA
Sat 4 June Climate Pledge Arena Seattle, WA
Sun 5 June Moda Center Portland, OR
Mon 6 June Spokane Arena Spokane, WA
Tue 7 June Arena At Ford Idaho Center Nampa, ID
Wed 8 June Vivint Arena Salt Lake City, UT
Fri 10 June Ball Arena Denver, CO
Sat 11 June Pinnacle Bank Arena Lincoln, NE
Sun 12 June Wells Fargo Arena Des Moines, IA
Tue 14 June XCEL Energy Center St. Paul, MN
Wed 15 June Fiserv Forum Milwaukee, WI
Thu 16 June Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, MI
Fri 17 June Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL
Tue 21 June Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Cleveland, OH
Wed 22 June Scotiabank Arena Toronto, ON, Canada
Thu 23 June Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Mount Pleasant, MI
Fri 24 June LittleCaesarsArena Detroit, MI
Sat 25 June Schottenstein Center Columbus, OH
Sun 26 June Rupp Arena Lexington, KY
Wed 29 June Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
Thu 30 June UBS Arena Elmont, NY
Fri 1 July Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT
Sat 2 July Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT
Sun 3 July Hard Rock Live At Etess Arena Atlantic City, NJ
Wed 6 July Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC
Thu 7 July State Farm Arena Atlanta, GA
Fri 8 July Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena Jacksonville, FL
Sat 9 July Fla Live Arena Sunrise, FL
Sun 10 July Amway Center Orlando, FL
Tue 12 July Spectrum Center Charlotte, NC
Thu 14 July Prudential Center Newark, NJ
Fri 15 July TD Garden Boston, MA
Sun 17 July Keybank Center Buffalo, NY
Tue 19 July PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, PA
Thu 21 July Giant Center, Hershey Park Hershey, PA
Fri 22 July PNC Arena Raleigh, NC
Sat 23 July Capital One Arena Washington, DC.
