From Sleeper Track to No. 1 Hit: the Complete 'End of Beginning' Timeline

Explore the background of From Sleeper Track to No. 1 Hit: the Complete 'End of Beginning' Timeline in our detailed breakdown.

Q1: Did Joe Keery write "End of Beginning" by himself?

A1: Joe Keery wrote the lyrics and musical framework himself, co-writing and co-producing the finished track alongside his longtime musical partner and sound engineer Adam Thein at Sound Factory in Los Angeles.

Q2: Why did it take eighteen months for "End of Beginning" to become a hit?

A2: The song was originally released on September 16, 2022, as an album track on DECIDE with no promotional radio push. In early February 2024, TikTok users organically began utilizing its emotional bridge for videos about nostalgia, college departures, and hometown memories, igniting an algorithmic wave that drove millions of listeners to streaming services.

Q3: What band was Joe Keery in before launching his Djo project?

A3: Keery played guitar and sang backup vocals for the Chicago-based psychedelic rock band Post Animal. He amicably stepped away from regular touring in 2018 to ensure his surging Hollywood profile from Stranger Things would not overshadow his bandmates' music.

Q4: What is the exact meaning behind the Chicago lyrics in the chorus?

A4: The lyrics reflect Keery's sentimental longing for his formative early twenties in Chicago, where he studied acting at DePaul University and played in local DIY bands before booking Stranger Things. The song honors that distinct phase of youth while acknowledging he can never return to being that anonymous, younger version of himself.