Joe Keery has officially claimed the top spot on Spotify, surpassing Taylor Swift’s long-standing No. 1 position. The Stranger Things actor, performing under his musical moniker DJO, saw his 2022 track “End of Beginning” surge to No. 1, overtaking Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” after its 78-day run at the top.
Joe Keery takes over the top spot on Spotify
Joe Keery, known for his role in Stranger Things, has reached the No. 1 spot on Spotify with his track “End of Beginning,” released under his musical alias DJO. The song surpassed Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” which had maintained the top position for 78 consecutive days. Swift’s track comes from her 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl.
“End of Beginning” was originally part of Keery’s 2022 album Decide, but saw a surge in popularity following the Stranger Things series finale. The renewed interest from fans revisiting the show helped push the song to the top of the streaming charts. Keery’s ascent reflects a crossover between his music and acting careers.
Keery and Swift had a prior connection, having met at Electric Lady Studios in New York City in 2024. On The Spout Podcast, Keery said, “Before anything happened with this track, she said, ‘Hey, I really love that track of yours, ‘End Of Beginning.’” He continued, “She’s also so hip to new music… somehow it came across her desk, and she listened to it and then said that she liked it.”
He later spoke about the encounter on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, recalling, “I walked out the door, and it was like 1,000 people were standing out there… People looked at me expecting Taylor, and were like, ‘Who’s this guy?’”
Keery began his music career before Stranger Things, having been a member of the psychedelic rock band Post Animal. Since launching DJO in 2019, he has released three solo studio albums.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
