It’s that synth-heavy, nostalgic riff you’ve heard a thousand times on TikTok. "And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it..." It’s a song that sounds like a blurry memory of a city you’ve never actually lived in. But if you’re trying to figure out who made End of Beginning, the answer is more than just a name. It’s a full-on creative pivot by a guy most people know for fighting monsters in the 1980s.
Joe Keery.
That’s the short answer. You know him as Steve Harrington from Stranger Things. The guy with the legendary hair. But in the music world, he’s Djo. And honestly, Djo isn’t just a "side project" for a bored actor. It’s a legitimate, psych-pop powerhouse that caught the world off guard long after the track was actually released.
The Chicago Connection
Joe Keery didn't just wake up one day and decide to be a pop star. He’s been in the trenches of the Chicago music scene for years. Before the Netflix fame took over his life, Keery was a guitarist and vocalist for the psych-rock band Post Animal. They were good. Like, really good. But his acting schedule became a nightmare for a touring band. He had to step back.
He didn't stop writing, though.
He started recording solo stuff under the moniker Djo. He used the name partly to distance the music from his TV persona. He wanted the songs to stand on their own merit. If people liked it, he wanted it to be because the music was catchy, not because they liked his character on a streaming show.
End of Beginning is essentially a love letter to that era of his life. It’s about being in your mid-20s, realizing you’ve changed, and returning to the place where you first "became" yourself. For Keery, that place is Chicago. He went to DePaul University there. He grew up there, creatively speaking. The lyrics capture that weird, bittersweet feeling of seeing your old self in the rearview mirror while walking down a familiar street.
Why Did a 2022 Song Explode in 2024?
The timeline is kinda wild. DECIDE, the album featuring the track, dropped in September 2022. For over a year, it was a cult favorite. Music nerds loved it. Indie fans shared it. But it wasn't a "hit" in the traditional sense.
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Then came the TikTok "vibe shift."
Early in 2024, the song became the unofficial anthem for "nostalgia" edits. People started using the bridge—that soaring, emotional peak—to show clips of their hometowns, their college years, or their kids growing up. It was a perfect storm. The production, handled by Keery and his long-time collaborator Adam Thein, has this 80s-inspired warmth that feels incredibly modern at the same time.
Adam Thein is the unsung hero here. While Keery is the face and the primary songwriter, Thein’s fingerprints are all over the production. They recorded most of the album at Dabbledome in Los Angeles. It’s a DIY spirit with a high-fidelity polish. They used a lot of vintage hardware, which is why it doesn't sound like a "plastic" pop song made on a laptop in five minutes. It has grit. It has texture.
Breaking Down the Sound
The song starts with that iconic, driving synth line. It’s simple. Effective.
Most people don't realize how much the drum patterns drive the emotional weight of the track. They’re crisp and slightly dry, giving the song a "studio" feel that grounds the airy vocals. Keery’s voice is filtered, almost distant, which adds to the theme of looking back at a past version of himself.
He’s admitted in interviews that the song was written during a transitional period. He was moving away from the "band" lifestyle and into a more solitary creative space. You can hear that tension. It’s a song about being "back in Chicago," but it was written while he was away from it. That’s the irony. You only feel the weight of a place once you’ve left it behind.
The Djo Persona vs. Joe Keery
One of the smartest things Keery did was the branding. If you look at the early promo for Djo, he’s wearing a bowl-cut wig and giant sunglasses. He looked more like a 70s session musician than a Hollywood heartthrob.
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This wasn't just a gimmick.
It was a shield. By creating a character, he allowed the audience to focus on the textures of the music. He leaned into the weirdness. The album DECIDE is full of experimental moments, distorted vocals, and heavy philosophy about the digital age. End of Beginning is actually one of the more "normal" songs on the record, which is probably why it became the entry point for millions of new fans.
When the song hit the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed into the Top 20 globally, Keery remained pretty low-key about it. He didn't go on a massive media blitz. He let the song do the work. That’s a rarity in an era where artists are expected to be "content creators" first and musicians second.
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that this was a "TikTok song" designed for the app. It wasn't. The song is nearly four minutes long—an eternity by modern streaming standards. It has a slow-burn structure.
Another myth? That he used his Stranger Things fame to buy his way onto the charts. If that were true, his first album, Twenty Twenty, would have been a massive commercial hit. It wasn't. He spent years playing small clubs and self-releasing music. The success of End of Beginning was organic. It was a "sleeper hit" in the truest sense of the word.
The lyrics are actually quite deep if you sit with them. "You take the man out of the city, not the city out the man." It’s a cliché, sure. But the way he delivers it feels earned. He’s talking about the internal struggle of fame. Being Joe Keery the "actor" in LA vs. being Joe the "musician" in Chicago.
The Technical Details
If you’re a gear head, you’ll appreciate the layers.
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- Synthesizers: Heavy use of Prophet-style pads and lead lines.
- Vocals: Layered harmonies that create a "wall of sound" effect during the chorus.
- Lyrics: Introspective, focusing on identity and the passage of time.
- Mixing: Balanced to sound good on phone speakers (for social media) but incredible on high-end headphones.
Adam Thein and Keery worked tirelessly to get the "vibe" right. It’s hard to make something sound nostalgic without it feeling like a parody of the 80s. They managed to find the middle ground. It sounds like the future and the past at the same time.
Why It Still Matters Today
Even as the TikTok trends fade, the song stays on the charts. Why? Because it’s a well-written pop song. It follows the classic "tension and release" formula.
The "Beginning" in the title refers to his start in Chicago. The "End" is him moving on to the next phase of his life. We all have those moments. Graduation. Moving for a job. Ending a relationship. The song gives people a soundtrack for those transitions.
It’s rare for an actor-turned-musician to be taken seriously. Usually, it’s a vanity project that disappears after a month. Keery—as Djo—broke the mold. He made something that rivals the work of Tame Impala or Unknown Mortal Orchestra. He’s a real musician who just happens to be a great actor, not the other way around.
Moving Forward with Djo
If you've only heard the viral hit, you’re missing out. The rest of the DECIDE album is a trip. It’s funkier, weirder, and much more aggressive in some parts.
Next Steps for New Fans:
- Listen to the full album DECIDE: Don't just loop the hit. Tracks like "Change" and "Half Life" give you a better idea of his range.
- Watch the live performances: Djo’s live setup is legendary. The band wears matching suits and wigs, leaning into the 70s aesthetic.
- Explore Post Animal: If you want to hear Joe’s roots, go back to the album When I Think Of You In A Castle. It’s pure psych-rock bliss.
- Follow the credits: Look up Adam Thein’s other production work. If you like the sound of End of Beginning, you’ll likely dig his other projects.
- Analyze the lyrics: Sit down and read the words to "End of Beginning" while listening. It’s a masterclass in writing about "place" without being cheesy.
The story of who made this song isn't just about a celebrity finding a new hobby. It’s about a musician returning to his roots and accidentally taking the rest of the world with him. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to move forward is to acknowledge exactly where you started.