...for being named "Best Act Ever" at the 2008 MTV Eurpoean Music Awards, beating out the Beatles and U2 by a landslide.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1083827/Never-Gonna-Give-You-Up-Loyal-fans-bombard-online-vote-Rick-Astley-best-act-MTV-awards.html

Looks like rick-rolling paid off.
I do actually like his music, though. Hooray for him :)

And, of course, if anyone wants to see it...the act that got him his award and that has made countless internet goers giggle and roll their eyes:

http://tinyurl.com/5zw65h

How could a dumbass internet fad make someone famous again like this? Stupid Europeans.

Don't know.

I'm kind of glad to see him get this award - that song was a big hit back in the 80s and, while I don't know if it was worthy of "Best Act Ever", I'm glad his music has been recognized a little bit 20 years after it was made. It stinks the only reason he got it was because of a bunch of wankers who were making fun of him, but to each their own. Rick was happy, but I don't blame him for not showing up to the award ceremony. I mean, do you know how many people would laugh their asses off at him?

It's amazing what artists come into the light because of stupidity. I'm sure Ozone wasn't too happy that one of their songs is now immediately associated with a nerdy fat man dancing in front of his webcam.

Why is that video even funny anyway? Aside from the fact Rick Astley is a 20-something white man with the voice of a 40-year-old black guy, why is that video funny? I could never figure it out.

I don't know either. He is a good singer obviously, but he deserved awards back in 1989 and the early 90's. They're giving him an award for a song he did over ten years ago just because of a sudden resurgence of popularity. And that's what annoys me. People don't recognize genius until it's shoved in their faces.

Haha, RICK ROLL'd! I love Rick Astley, though. His music makes me happy.

NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP, NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN!

Congratulations

Rick Astley got Rick-Rolled. Wow, the irony of that is thick. :lol:

They're giving him an award for a song he did over ten years ago just because of a sudden resurgence of popularity. And that's what annoys me. People don't recognize genius until it's shoved in their faces.

You can blame Seth MacFarlane for that.

Seth McFarlane referenced the song because of the fad. He didn't start it.

No, but he definitely did make it more noticable.

Speaking of which, I wonder how many n00b-ish kids are spamming the Trashmens' "Surfin' Bird" on Youtube after the running joke with Peter on Family Guy? It seems like every single running joke Family Guy does becomes a huge, huge hit, funny or not.