The “Stranger Things” series finale is in the rearview mirror, which means the show’s cast is now free to pursue other projects. For Joe Keery, who played Steve Harrington in the Netflix hit, if he decided to quit acting, he could pursue music full-time successfully. For those who may not know, Keery fronts the band Djo, and they’re currently having a big time on Spotify, with their song “End of Beginning” narrowly dethroning Taylor Swift on the streaming service.
As of this writing, the 2022 track sits at No. 1 on Spotify’s daily charts, above Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” which has largely held the top spot since the launch of her album “The Life of a Showgirl” in October. “End of Beginning” has been at number one since January 2, 2026, perhaps not coincidentally right after the “Stranger Things” finale began on Netflix. It’s simply impressive, especially for a song that will be four years old.
For Keery, it’s the culmination of a lot of hard work. Having been a part of “Stranger Things” for almost a decade, he had to fit his music career in during his breaks from filming the series. This is all pretty impressive, especially since Steve was almost killed early in the series. Instead, he had to play a major role in the biggest show on Netflix until the very end, which tied directly into having a number one song above the biggest pop star on the planet. It’s the kind of thing that can cement someone as a super star, not just an actor/musician.
Joe Keery is currently having a major moment in pop culture
Keery is currently at the center of the biggest things in pop culture. The finale of “Stranger Things” was a huge success in theaters, in addition to dominating Netflix. Looking at the bigger picture, this means that there was a brief moment where Keery was dominating the big screen, television, and music charts. To say it’s impressive would be an understatement. This isn’t the first time this song has had its moment in the sun either.
“It’s really cool, but I almost feel like I don’t have the perspective to really appreciate what’s happening in a way,” Keery told Billboard in April 2024, around the time “End of Beginning” reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Alternative Songs chart. “I think over time it will come to me even more. These are cool steps to take, but ultimately the best thing is being able to go into the studio and work.”
As for what’s next for Keery? He’s unlikely to be part of the “Stranger Things” spinoff, which means he’ll be free to pursue something else. Maybe now he can lean a little more into music and try to capitalize on Djo’s current momentum. He will certainly also act more. He has a new movie called “Cold Storage” due out in February this year. Beyond that? It seems the man has no shortage of options.
Season 5 of “Stranger Things” is currently streaming on Netflix.
