# @popbase on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DdVfBmahscR
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70638377-popbase-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/5726adedb6.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-16T05:00:05.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Pop Base (@PopBase) — https://gondola.cc/PopBase

## Caption

4 years ago today, Djo released ‘End of Beginning.’

Joe Keery wrote 'End of Beginning' by himself and co-produced it with his regular collaborator Adam Thein, first performing it live at a concert in Birmingham, Alabama in April 2022 before recording it for his second studio album under the Djo alias, 'Decide,' which he self-released independently through AWAL on September 16, 2022. The song reflects on Keery's own move from Chicago, where he studied at DePaul University and played in the band Post Animal, to Los Angeles after his breakout role in 'Stranger Things,' capturing that bittersweet mix of nostalgia and growth tied to looking back on an earlier chapter of life.

Sonically, the track leans into a melancholic, synth-driven sound layered with guitar riffs, giving it a warm, nostalgic electro feel that mirrors its lyrical themes of memory and return. Despite generally strong reviews for 'Decide' at the time, the song went largely unnoticed for nearly two years until TikTok users began using a specific lyric to soundtrack clips of their own hometowns in early 2024, sparking a sudden wave of streaming momentum that pushed it onto the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart for the first time.

That viral resurgence eventually carried the song to number one in the UK, and it later saw another chart resurgence tied to the emotional final season of 'Stranger Things,' as fans used it to soundtrack farewells to Keery's character, Steve Harrington. Ultimately charting in 41 countries and earning certifications in nearly 20 nations, 'End of Beginning' transformed from a quiet album cut into one of the most unexpected sleeper hits of the mid-2020s, reshaping Keery's public identity from actor-turned-musician into a genuine breakout pop artist.

#djo #music #popculture #reels

## Stats

- **Views:** 32,891
- **Likes:** 1,527
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 11

## Tags

music, djo, reels, popculture

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