Joe Keery, recognized for his role in Stranger Things and known musically as Djo, has achieved a number one hit in the UK. Simultaneously, several tracks from the 1980s, prominently featured in the show’s soundtrack, have experienced a resurgence on the charts following the series finale.
Keery portrays Steve Harrington in the popular Netflix series, while pursuing his musical endeavors under the moniker Djo.
His song “End of Beginning,” initially released in 2022, previously reached number four in the UK charts in 2024. It has now ascended to the coveted top position.
In addition to Djo’s success, Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” and The Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” all integral to the show’s soundtrack, have re-entered the top 20 this week.
Notably, Djo’s “End of Beginning” is not part of the official Stranger Things soundtrack. However, it gained widespread popularity on TikTok as fans incorporated it into edits of the final episode.
According to the UK’s Official Charts Company, the song garnered a total of 5.4 million streams in the UK this week.
The track has also achieved global recognition, accumulating over 55 million plays worldwide on Spotify in the past week alone.
On January 2nd, the day after the final episode of Stranger Things’ fifth and final season premiered on Netflix, “End of Beginning” surpassed Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” to claim the top spot on Spotify’s global chart.
The show’s influence has demonstrably extended to broader listening preferences.
All aforementioned songs appear in season five, with the exception of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” featured in season two, and The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go,” from season one.
The resurgence of these tracks can be attributed to their exposure on the show and TikTok, aligning with a larger trend of older songs experiencing renewed popularity through social media and streaming platforms.
Sarah Kloboves of music data trackers Chartmetric noted, “TikTok has a habit of tapping into nostalgia as a way to engage audiences.”
“For older generations, the familiar catalogue hits keep them engaged because they feel sentimental.”
“For younger users, though, the release date doesn’t matter because they’re hearing everything for the first time. These older tracks ultimately appeal to a broader audience.”
Despite its absence from the latest Stranger Things season, The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” has recently experienced a significant surge in global popularity.
It emerged as the most-played older song last week, reaching number eight on Spotify’s weekly global chart with over 25 million streams.
This represents an increase from its previous peak of number 21 on the Spotify weekly chart in mid-November.
Beyond Stranger Things, other factors contribute to the resurgence of older songs. Zara Larsson’s 2016 hit “Lush Life” has climbed to number eight in the official UK singles chart, fueled by a TikTok dance trend.
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