I’ve seen many things in my days. But this may be the greatest.

[Over the years, I've referenced Rick Astley a lot here. Take a look here, too.]

It’s not often that a professional wrestling sports entertainment legend and action movie star does something that is so beyond awesome as what WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin does in this video.

Take a look at the “Tough Enough” host rocking and Rick-rolling!

According to us (by way of Wikipedia), a meme is a unit of social information.

To me, there is nothing more social – thus – meme-y, than music.

And in the global age, where media gets passed in real-time, music memes are more meme-y than ever.

This list features five “Meme Songs,” pieces of music that have transcended themselves to become so much more.  It’s not a list of “viral videos” (barf) but rather a countdown of songs that have stuck within pop culture.

The source: me.  It’s my list.  Feel free to make your own list in the comments section.

5) Susan Boyle – I Dreamed a Dream:  This performance on “Britain’s Got Talent” touched the world.  A middle-aged “never been kissed” woman from the British countryside delivered a stunning rendition, bringing tears to countless people.  Music is about emotions, and Boyle combined almost all of them into just a few minutes.  This is the ultimate “you won’t believe this” song clip:

(No good versions of the video are embeddable, but click here to watch it)

4) Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline: Can we just go ahead and call this the theme song for good times?  From sporting events to bar mitzvahs, this song, written about Caroline Kennedy, is synonymous with fun!

3) John Lennon – Imagine: The former Beatles star wrote and recorded several songs about a better, more peaceful world.  But nothing, nothing, nothing compares to how “Imagine” has become a global anthem of  hope.  It’s more than a song…it’s a way of life.

2) Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’: Journey was one of the biggest bands in the world in their heyday in the late 1970s and into the mid 1980s.  Their music lives on, but their song, “Don’t Stop Believin’” has crossed to another generation.  From being the song that ended “The Sopranos” to being the song that helped launch “Glee,” it’s truly resonated for decades.

1) Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up: The biggest online meme of all time is “Rick Rolling,” telling someone you are sending them a video of ANYTHING, but when they open the file, it’s Rick Astley’s hit song.  No clue where it started, but, man, it’s still funny!  It works because it’s a true guilty pleasure.  Everyone loves the song (secretly), including me.

Don't you want me at YOUR New Year's party?

Happy (almost) New Year!  And greetings from Austin, Texas, where I will be ringing in the New Year for my first-ever Central Timezone celebration.

Thinking back on 2010, it was one of the best years of my life.  Personally (as a newlywed), professionally (joining the iostudio team) and more.  I got the opportunity to speak at some fantastic conferences and talk marketing and social media on a daily basis with a tremendous group of people.  That, of course, includes you, reading this post.

#SportsPRChat came back from the dead, providing a platform to discuss the business side of sports.

I greatly appreciate the time you have invested in reading this blog and then participating in the ongoing discussion.  Maybe we’ve broken new ground, maybe we’re just having a good time.  Either way, I think I’m just fine with that.

Looking ahead, 2011 should be even more incredible.  There is a top-secret project I’ve been working on that I can share with you shortly.  I’m beyond excited to pull back that curtain…you have NO idea.

Let’s close out the year on The Buzz with my Top 5 Posts of 2010.  Consider this the Director’s Cut… they are the ones I am most proud of.

Here they are, in no particular order:

#1 – Barney Stinson, My PR Role Model – You can find inspiration in the oddest places…

#2 – Are You Social Media Awesome? – Be the best you can be to create social media success!

#3 – Justice League of Communications – Didn’t you know you can be a PR superhero?

#4 – Thanks For The Memories – It was so much fun to look back at the first phase of my career.

#5 – Social Media, Put Some Damn Pants On – Apparently, this one upset a lot of people.  Good.

Real talk: Rick Astley is all sorts of awesome.

That statement has been well-developed in this space over our time together.

I mean, he taught me everything I need to know about social media HERE and was the inspiration for one of my favorite phrases, Social Media Awesome.

So why Rick Astley?

Why NOT Rick Astley???

His music has brought smiles and laughs, both legitimate and ironic, to people worldwide.  Whether you truly appreciate his artistry or get a nostalgic chuckle when you get “Rick Rolled,” he is a major part of pop culture.

As such, I am declaring Monday, November 15, 2010 as #RickAstleyDay!

To celebrate, please use the Twitter hashtag and share your favorite Rick Astley moments!  Have fun!

And to get everything started, here is my favorite song from his latest album.  I present to you, “Lights Out!”

Don’t call it a comeback.

Recently, two 80s/90s music favorites jumped back into the scene with new songs.

So, which one is better?  (Vote below)

Ace of Base “All For You” (Dance version)

Rick Astley “Lights Out”