Joe Keery’s run as Steve Harrington on Stranger Things came to an end just as 2025 was ending and making way for 2026. The Netflix series finally concluded its broadcast day with a harrowing final fight and perhaps some unsatisfied fans. But the ending of Stranger Things also stirred up renewed interest in Keery’s side project, which a surprising amount of fans seemed to be discovering for the first time.
Under the name Djo, he’s released three albums since 2019. Before that, he was a member of Post Animal, but left after Stranger Things took off, not wanting the group to be hindered by association with the show. As the series ended, however, the song “End of Beginning” from the 2022 album Decide went viral once again.
“It feels like it’s taken on this life of its own,” Keery told Vulture in January 2026. “It’s being used to underscore the end of a year and the show coming to an end — the end of an era and the start of something new.”
Joe Keery’s Hit Single ‘End of Beginning’ Topped the Streaming Charts Once More
In 2024, “End of Beginning” was officially released as a single after it went viral on social media. That year, it reached No. 1 on the Spotify Global Chart, which tracks global streaming data. This year, it topped that chart again, knocking Taylor Swift off of her 78-consecutive-day-long throne. “End of Beginning” also hit No. 1 on the U.S. Spotify Chart with 1.38 million streams.
Considering the circumstances that have seen “End of Beginning” surging in popularity again, it all makes sense. The song is centered on turning points, big decisions, and the ending of one situation to begin another. But was this new viral surge simply because of Stranger Things?
“I’d be a fool, obviously, to say it wasn’t driven by Stranger Things. It definitely is,” said Keery. “But the song had a life of its own about a year and a half ago. It was TikTok mixed with the way modern music is shared, especially with social media. And then the message, too. When it [went viral] the first time, afterward people were like, ‘What did that feel like? Oh my gosh, that must’ve been crazy.’ This time it feels even more that way.”
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