Steve Harrington is the real “Mastermind.”
“Stranger Things” star Joe Keery overtook Taylor Swift’s No. 1 spot on the Spotify charts over the weekend.
Keery, who releases music under the alias DJO, got a boost on the Spotify rankings thanks to fans after they watched the hit show’s series finale.
His song “End of Beginning,” which was released as part of Keery’s 2022 album “Decide,” dethroned Swift’s 2025 track “The Fate of Ophelia” in the top position on Spotify.
“The Fate of Ophelia,” from Swift’s latest album “The Life of a Showgirl,” spent 78 consecutive days leading the Spotify charts.
Ironically, Keery and Swift previously had a sweet encounter at the Electric Lady recording studio in New York City where the pop star complimented “End of Beginning.”
“I just happened to be there the day that she was there. And she’s really nice. I mean, I’ve met her a couple of times,” Keery recalled on “The Spout Podcast” in 2024. “Before anything happened with this track, she said, ‘Hey, I really love that track of yours, ‘End Of Beginning.’ She just said that she had heard the song and, you know, obviously I’m like, ‘What? You heard that song? How the hell did you hear that song?’”
“But she’s like a music lover, really. And she’s also so hip to new music and things that are coming out,” he continued. “And so, I guess it’s not shocking to me because she’s like a big fan of music and just digs around and finds stuff. So, somehow it came across her desk, and she listened to it and then said that she liked it. Really, really nice of her.”
Keery also addressed running into Swift at the recording studio during a past appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
“That was a very confusing day because I was just in there with John, minding my own business, not doing anything, and then 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?’” the “Fargo” actor explained.
“And then I walked down the block, and someone’s like, ‘Oh, that’s that guy,’” Keery added.
When asked about the possibility of collaborating with the “Style” singer, Keery said, “Maybe that would generate something. Maybe that experience generated something in the universe, but I don’t know.”
Keery started making music before his 10-year run on “Stranger Things.” He’s a member of the psychedelic rock band Post Animal and has also released three solo studio albums under his musical alias.
