Well butter my Eggos and call me Eddie Munson, mun β Joe Keery has only gone and bagged a UK No.1 single with End of Beginning, and the charts are officially having a Stranger Things-shaped meltdown.
Originally released back in 2022 under his dreamy, synth-soaked alter ego Djo, End of Beginning has pulled off the ultimate sleeper-hit resurrection. Thanks to millions of fan edits, TikToks, tear-soaked montages, and one absolutely seismic final run of Stranger Things, the track has surged from cult favourite to full-blown chart-topper. Proper tidy stuff.
And letβs be honest β if you watched the finale and didnβt feel something crack in your chest when Steve Harringtonβs story wrapped upβ¦ check your pulse, butt.
π STRANGER THINGS = CHARTS CHAOS (AGAIN)
Joe Keery isnβt riding this wave alone either. The UK Singles Chart has turned into a nostalgia-soaked mixtape straight out of Hawkins, Indiana, with classic tracks storming back up the rankings like Demogorgons with record deals.
This weekβs big climbers include:
Running Up That Hill β Kate Bush I Think Weβre Alone Now β Tiffany Should I Stay or Should I Go β The Clash Purple Rain β Prince
This show has done more for legacy bangers than half the music industryβs marketing departments combined. One needle drop and suddenly your dadβs record collection is back in the charts. You absolutely love to see it.
π§ DJO: NO GIMMICK, JUST VIBES
What makes this even sweeter is that End of Beginning didnβt blow up because of a flashy single push or a label shove. It grew organically, quietly embedding itself into fan culture until β bang β No.1. No cape, no guitars on fire, just vibes and emotion doing the heavy lifting.
Joe Keery the actor has always been solid. Joe Keery the musician? Turns out heβs got serious legs. This isnβt a novelty chart moment β itβs a reminder that when pop culture, storytelling, and music collide just right, magic happens.
π₯ THE RIFF REPORT VERDICT
Stranger Things may have closed its gates, but its musical aftershocks are still rattling speakers across the UK. From Kate Bush rewinds to Djoβs late-blooming triumph, this is what happens when good songs meet big feelings.
Steve Harrington walked so Djo could run.
UK No.1.
Only in the Upside Down, mun. π€πΆπ€
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene specialβfrom legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether heβs battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, heβs always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When heβs not writing or interviewing artists, youβll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than musicβtheyβre about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Thatβs exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. π€
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