The dramatic conclusion to “Stranger Things” was full of action-packed scenes, heartfelt moments, and great music. The show, which already has an iconic theme song, ended on a high note with a soundtrack straight out of the ’80s. Entitled “The Rightside Up,” the final episode featured “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” by Prince, “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, “The Trooper” by Iron Maiden, “Heroes” by David Bowie, and more.
The power of those songs in the moment led viewers to latch onto them, with the majority landing on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in decades. Billboard reports that “Heroes” alone accumulated 1.4 streams in the U.S. – “a 143% jump over the previous period of Dec. 27-30 (613,000), according to Luminate.”
Another “Stranger Things” tie-in also received a major boost, even though the song wasn’t used on the show.
Actor Joe Keery is best known as the fan favorite character Steve Harrington, but he also has a musical career under the moniker Djo. His 2022 song “End of Beginning” leapt to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, making it “the biggest song in the world for the first time.”
“End of Beginning” may be a modern song, but Keery’s proximity to the sounds of “Stranger Things” clearly rubbed off on him. It has a burning, medium-tempo groove, with a steady stream of eighth notes on the guitar, churning out a pulse that propels the song forward. It also has a throwback timbre completed by a vintage-style synth that adds melodic hooks between Keery’s vocals.
Although “End of Beginning” first appeared on Djo’s second album, “Decide,” in 2022, it’s just as timely now as it was then. The lyrical content explores being on the verge of a major life change. Keery calls it a “reflection on [his] time in my early twenties living in Chicago,” in an interview with NME. He was anxious to follow his dreams and now realizes he didn’t fully grasp the moment he was in.
“So in a lot of ways, it’s a song about a kind of nostalgia – you know [for] another version of me,” he said. “But it’s also kind of a self-declaration to try to appreciate your present [and be aware that] your past will always stay with you and inform who you are.”
Today, we’re featuring an amazing score for Djo’s “End of Beginning” supplied by MuseScore member bostyboyyt. It has all the notation for the vocal line, rhythm guitar, solo guitar, synths, bass, and even drums.
No matter what instrument you play, you can jump in and play along with Djo’s 2025 performance of “End of Beginning” from Laneway Festival in Sydney, Australia. It also gives you a great visual way of seeing how the parts all fit together, so you can learn how to create your own synth-pop hit.
If you’re looking for more Djo, he just released “The Crux” in 2025, and he’ll be on tour in South and Central America throughout March. Check out Djo’s website for more info.
