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Whenever You Need Somebody 1987
Album · by Rick Astley ↗ View artist

Whenever You Need Somebody

When Rick Astley released his debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody, in November 1987, he not only introduced his voice to the world but also laid the groundwork for a sound that would resonate. Recorded between 1986 and 1987 at London's PWL studios, this work is defined by the characteristic pop and dance-pop style of the producer duo Stock Aitken Waterman, who were behind most of the songwriting and production. The result was an album that has reportedly sold 15.2 million copies globally, becoming his most successful production and achieving a notable position among the best-selling albums of 1987 in the United Kingdom and also in Spain.

Year
1987
Songs
10
Duration
37 min 21 seg
Listen to the album ★

10 song|s

Song list

# Title Available ⏱
01

Never Gonna Give You Up

3:36
02

Whenever You Need Somebody

3:57
03

Together Forever

3:29
04

It Would Take a Strong Strong Man

3:45
05

The Love Has Gone

4:20
06

Don’t Say Goodbye

coming soon

4:12
07

Slipping Away

3:56
08

No More Looking for Love

3:16
09

You Move Me

3:46
10

When I Fall in Love

3:04

About the album

Whenever You Need Somebody, according to DoReSol

Within Whenever You Need Somebody, there are tracks that capture the essence of what Astley and his producers were aiming for. Songs like Never Gonna Give You Up and Together Forever stand out for their energy and catchy melodies, reflecting that direct and danceable style that defined the album's sound. Other tracks like Don't Say Goodbye also received positive mentions for their songwriting. While some critics noted the album's overall tone as marked by Stock Aitken Waterman's production, others saw it as an interesting addition to the British music scene, with an approach that some described as production with 70s reminiscences.

Over time, this debut has been revisited. A remastered version, which included remixes and extended versions, saw the light of day in April 2010, allowing the album's compositions to be rediscovered. Even in retrospect, in 2018, Whenever You Need Somebody was recognized as one of the most outstanding works produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, underscoring its worldwide commercial impact.