“End of Beginning” breaks charts, logic, and the Upside Down
Somewhere between the Upside Down and a face-melting guitar solo, the internet has collectively decided to lose its head — and honestly, we’re right there with it.
According to the wildest corner of pop-culture chaos, Steve Harrington has just gone #1 on Spotify with a track called “End of Beginning.”
Yes. That Steve. Denim jacket. Nail bat. World’s most overqualified babysitter.
And somehow… it feels absolutely right.
🧢 FROM SCOOPS AHOY TO ROCK GOD ENERGY
Steve Harrington’s glow-up has been one for the ages.
Once the King of Hawkins High.
Then the reluctant monster-fighting hero.
Now, in the collective imagination of the internet?
🎶 A fully-fledged rock icon.
The viral image doing the rounds shows Steve mid-riff, guitar slung low, lightning cracking behind him, surrounded by snarling nightmare creatures straight out of the Upside Down. It’s heavy, dramatic, unapologetically OTT — the kind of visual that screams:
“This album was recorded at midnight in a cursed forest and mastered on a haunted amp.”
Rock fans saw it.
Pop-culture nerds embraced it.
The algorithm did the rest.
🌍 WHY EVERYONE IS OBSESSED WITH THIS
Let’s be clear — this isn’t really about Spotify charts. This is about vibes.
This moment hits because it taps into:
- 🎸 Classic rock fantasy energy
- 📺 Peak Stranger Things nostalgia
- 🧠 The internet’s love of “what if” alternate timelines
- 🔥 Steve Harrington being universally adored
It’s the ultimate daydream: your favourite fictional hero drops the trauma, plugs in a guitar, and conquers the world with riffs instead.
No origin story required.
No gatekeeping allowed.
🎶 “END OF BEGINNING” — THE SONG THAT DOESN’T EXIST (BUT SHOULD)
There’s no official release.
No label announcement.
No press campaign.
And yet… everyone can hear it.
Big chorus.
Arena-sized emotion.
Lyrics about survival, loyalty, growing up too fast, and standing your ground when the world turns feral.
It’s the kind of song you’d blast on a late-night drive, windows down, pretending the headlights are stage lights and the motorway is Wembley.
If this track ever does exist?
It’s going straight on repeat.
🤘 ROCK NEVER DIES — IT JUST MUTATES
What makes this viral moment so powerful is what it says about rock culture.
Rock doesn’t always come from bands anymore.
Sometimes it comes from stories.
Sometimes from memes.
Sometimes from fictional characters who represent courage, loyalty, and raw, human defiance.
Steve Harrington isn’t topping Spotify because of streams.
He’s topping it because he represents heart — and rock has always lived there.
🖤 FINAL RIFF
Is “End of Beginning” real?
No.
Is the love for it real?
Absolutely.
Would we queue it up instantly if it dropped?
Without hesitation.
Rock doesn’t need permission.
Rock doesn’t need to make sense.
Rock just needs a hero with a guitar and the guts to stand his ground.
And right now?
Rock belongs to Steve Harrington. 🤘⚡
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 special—from 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 he’s 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, he’s 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 he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll 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 music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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