With two million Spotify listeners, Joe Keery, who uses the stage name Djo, is beginning to make a name for himself in the music industry. Known primarily for his role as Steve Harrington in the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” the actor and musician brings many 80s-esque musical elements into his songs.
Prior to becoming Djo, Keery was a member of the band Post Animal. However, in an interview with the Alternative Press in 2018 , Keery told interviewers, “I think it’s important that they’re hitting the pavement for a while and making a name for themselves and it’s not necessarily associated with ‘Stranger Things.’”
Then, in 2019, Keery released his first single, “Roddy,” which now has almost 64 million streams on Spotify, under his stage name Djo. Then, he released his second single and most streamed song on Spotify, “Chateau (Feel Alright).” Both of these songs would then go on to be featured on his album “Twenty Twenty,” released in 2019. The album, which has 12 tracks, is classified as “psychedelic pop.” In their review of the album, NME described it as incorporating “trippy effects, epic solos and modal melodies.”
In 2022, Keery released his second album titled “Decide.” This album still maintains the psychedelic pop elements featured in “Twenty Twenty” but also incorporates more rock elements and takes on more of an 80s music vibe. Singles for this album were “Change”, which has almost 16 million streams on Spotify, and “Gloom”, which has almost 13 million streams. Similar to “Twenty Twenty”, this album was also on the shorter side and only has 13 tracks and a playtime of 36 minutes.
In both of these albums, there are two elements that are made clear to listeners: nostalgia and change. Both of these albums feed into the weird yet critical experiences listeners have experienced in the past whatever they may be. In a world with so much uncertainty of what the future will be like, Keery plays into both the exciting elements of change and uncertainty, in songs such as “BNBG,” as well as the scary and negative elements. Additionally, songs such as “Chateau (Feel Alright)” and “End of Beginning” evoke feelings of nostalgia and the desire to hold on to your past but also an acknowledgment that one needs to move forward in life.
Through Keery’s music, listeners are transported into their past for a time of reflection. Through his unique lyricism and musical style, Keery encourages listeners to reflect on who they were and who they want to be going forward, as well as where they fit into the grand scheme of things. Similar to the show “Stranger Things”, Keery’s music serves as a time capsule for emotions, thoughts and questions of the past.