Few television shows in the streaming era have so fully captured the cultural zeitgeist as Stranger Things. Emerging from Netflix in 2016, the show immediately captivated audiences with its sci-fi spookiness, retro ‘80s throwback feel and endearing cast of kids, who spent the next decade growing up before the public’s eyes through December, when the blockbuster show finally came to an end with its megawatt fifth season finale.

One thing Stranger Things has been known for over the years is the often surprising popularity of its music, which has delighted audiences by resurfacing older songs to score critical moments in the show — the most famous being the massive surge in streams and attention for Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” in its fourth season in 2022, which pushed the song all the way to No. 3 on the Hot 100 that fall. But its cast has also produced a major musical milestone — in the form of actor Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington in the show, and is also a musician performing under the name Djo.

Djo’s been building his music career for years, and has released three albums — Twenty Twenty, DECIDE and The Crux via AWAL — between 2019 and 2025. But it was his 2022 song “End of Beginning,” originally released on DECIDE, that has really taken off — the song went viral on TikTok in 2024, then underpinned Keery’s first major tour last year which saw him play the main stage at Lollapalooza, and then exploded after the Stranger Things finale, even though it didn’t appear in the show at all, such was the popularity of Keery’s character and the song itself. And this week, it has reached official Major Hit Status: “End of Beginning” reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, Keery’s first-ever top 10 on the chart, while also soaring to No. 1 on the Global 200 and on Streaming Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, a major moment for his music career. And that earns his manager, Stern Management founder Nick Stern, the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.

Here, Stern talks about the song’s enduring success, how Stranger Things helped boost Djo’s music career and Keery’s acting career simultaneously, and what makes him more than just another actor dabbling in music. “Touring is the piece that makes this real to people,” Stern says. “The live show highlights just how good he is, how strong the production is, and brings the music to life — and that’s what’s taken this from a hit song to a career with legs.”

This week, Djo’s “End of Beginning” reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, becoming his first-ever top 10 on the chart, and also soared to No. 1 on the Streaming Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?

We’ve had some experience releasing music around previous seasons of Stranger Things — we launched DECIDE right when season four came out, so we had a sense of what to expect. With this being the final season of the show and knowing how beloved Joe’s character had become over the years, we anticipated a heightened interest Djo given the immense media campaign surrounding it. “End of Beginning” has had an unparalleled run — a song released in 2022 has resonated in a way that simply can’t be manufactured. We don’t do a lot of the things people probably think we do when it comes to marketing. From day one the idea has been to release music he’s proud of and hope people connect, without the games. 

We have an incredible team both internally and at AWAL — a full global team who sadly had to deal with me every single day over the holiday break.

The song also reached No. 1 on the Global 200 this week. Why do you think it’s resonating across the globe, and how are you helping fuel that?

I’ve always believed that you need to have both the business and the audience rooting for you if you’re going to make it. Once you take the huge check, or hire all the people to dance to your songs, fans can feel that and all of a sudden they’re trying to take you down. Joe is someone that everyone continues to root for. He’s not just a talented musician and actor, but he’s a sincere and wonderful person, and that can be felt in everything we do around the Djo universe. The fact that “End of Beginning” broke out of Dublin is a testament to that. There is no Chicago there, but there’s something about Djo and the song that allows Chicago to be anywhere, to anyone.

Following this resurgence, we’re certainly doing some promo pushing the song at radio, both internationally and at home, but the goal is to convert fans of “End of Beginning” to fans of Djo. We were working The Crux single “Delete Ya” before this recent “EOB” wave, and as a result we’re now seeing the song start to connect. The album’s lead single “Basic Being Basic” is also having a major uptick. For us, the real win here has been the huge uplift in people listening to his catalog, engaging beyond “End of Beginning,” and coming on board with Djo in a meaningful way.

What are some of the pros and cons of him becoming a star actor at the same time he has been building his music career?

Joe’s acting career certainly helped launch his music career, but I give it less credit than others might. There are plenty of actors who try to be musicians, but being famous doesn’t make you talented or mean people will actually like and connect with your music. “End of Beginning” connected before most even realized who the musician was behind the song. I started working with Joe in 2019 based solely on his debut album, which I thought was amazing. He writes, produces, mixes and plays nearly every instrument himself.

Joe was making music and in bands long before Stranger Things. I’m of course realistic about the boost this show has been to his career as a musician, but we’ve definitely spent a lot of time and energy trying to educate people about Joe as a musician vs. an actor. It’s logical that if you only know him from the show, you might not give him much of a chance as a musician, so we battle through that. With the launch of The Crux, we made giant leaps forward, globally, establishing him as a musician. This most recent wave is making us do more of that now. 

How do you plan on capitalizing on this moment to help push his career — either in music or as an actor — forward?

It’s crazy to think that before last year, Joe hadn’t toured much. We had one big tour planned following DECIDE, but then he booked Fargo and we had to scrap it.  So to go from not having a ton of experience outside of a handful of festivals to the year he just had — I just can’t express how impressive it was. With a new band he went from a warmup show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in January, to playing in front of 75,000 people at Lollapalooza in August and delivering a show that would make you think he’d been touring and playing festivals his whole life. Need to give thanks to Huston Powell at C3 — he’s been the biggest champion, and took a huge bet on Joe last year. Also Kevin French and Andy Cook at CAA, who were Joe’s agents for years without being able to book a proper tour.

Touring is the piece that makes this real to people. The live show highlights just how good he is, how strong the production is, and brings the music to life — and that’s what’s taken this from a hit song to a career with legs. That’s the long-winded way of saying — touring is what’s going to keep this going. Showing people that Joe is an immensely gifted artist and performer. There’s more happening, of course, but to me being able to connect with fans around the world in a live setting is what’s going to really keep this going.

When WWE Superstar R-Truth was briefly released by the company last June, his heart sank. Truth — a beloved wrestler whose infectious humor drew smiles from fans of all ages — was stunned until the WWE universe rallied together for his reinstatement. Within days, their voices were heard. Truth returned to WWE, wrestled John Cena as part of the icon’s retirement tour, and reversed his misfortune.

“I enjoyed every bit of it from the ‘Roota to the Toota,’ because there’s so much in the middle that we get and learn from that the end part is sweet,” says Truth ahead of WWE’s Season 2 Netflix docuseries, Unreal. “That’s the justification and gratitude we get from it, but in the middle, there’s a lesson to be learned and felt. There are emotions to be dealt with and things to be experienced for it to come out different, right?”

Unreal gives avid viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how WWE programming is put together. For Truth, his dismissal and reinstatement will be a part of their five-episode series, slated to air Jan. 20.

“I was so overwhelmed with so many different feelings and emotions,” remembers Truth, who hasn’t watched the new series. “I had over 100 million people worldwide who cared. It was just overwhelming, and it showed me the power not only in humanity but also in love. It showed who I was, who I am, and who I can be. There was so much that was wrapped up into that. It’s almost like 2Pac, dog — All Eyez on Me. Because there’s so much to come from it.”

For Carl Lamarre’s newest entry of Mic Drops and Elbow Drops, he chats with R-Truth about his Grammy aspirations, unreleased music with John Cena and more. Read the article below.

When you compare your journeys as R-Truth and K-Kwik, where do you think each persona could have benefited from the other?

I think they all benefit from each other because they’re all products of life. They’re all parts of what I’m going through. That’s what makes each character so relatable. K-Kwik was young and inexperienced. You gotta remember I met [wrestling promoter] Jim Crockett in a halfway house. Wrestling saved my life. It was a whole new gift. I wasn’t aware of it, but it was something different for me. I was rapping my music and I’d sing some country songs after that. I was accepted. It was the first time that I was able to be accepted for doing something against the norm and where I come from.

To go to R-Truth, that was made from [myself] Ron Killings, because a lot of people didn’t accept that type of dude with him just being as real as he is — as gutter as he is. He created R-Truth because R-Truth is a lovable guy. He’s charismatic and lights the room up. Everybody can relate to him. Everybody can relate to Ron Killings too because we’ve all been pushed to the side and overlooked. There’s so many characters that are relatable to each and every person, man. I think that’s what made R-Truth and Ron Killings such a relatable item. 

When you look back at the Ron Killings era after your release from WWE, do you feel that character was able to live up to his potential or is there a chance we can see that side again?

You will see that side again. Ron Killings is the one that brings it real. Just because it’s real doesn’t make it right, you feel me? Just because you say it doesn’t means that it needs to be said. He’s that borderline [character] of knowing that if we touch the stove, we’re gonna be get burnt, but we still touch it anyway. R-Truth plays with what he’s been dealt. He can take any hand you give him and make something out of it. Life is going to deal you all kinds of hands. I know people that are struggling to pay their bills, but they figure out a way. Life’s about figuring out who you are, how to get what you want, how to get by and be what you wanna be. R-Truth is that guy we can relate to because he pulls from it. He was dealt that. 

Along with being a wrestler, you’re a recording artist across both rap and country. How has your in-ring confidence shaped the way you carry yourself on stage and in the booth?

It allows me to listen and read the room. I have performing in my bones from coming up. The cousin of being able to relate is being able to read the room. Our attention span of somebody is seconds. That’s like with wrestling. There’s not too much of a difference between that because each one sets the other up. When you hear, “If you smell…,” you know The Rock is coming out. When you hear the glass break, you know Stone Cold is coming out. So with music and wrestling, they go hand-in-hand. At my concerts now, I tell a whole story. It’s not just me performing, I’m telling you a story of life and something you can take home with you.

When you think about legacy, what would ultimately fulfill you more: a WWE championship run or a Grammy?

Oh wow. That’s dope. Wow. I can’t pick both can’t I?

Nope. 

Well, me reading the room right now, a championship run is what I think the people would want to see, but I’m getting me a Grammy. I’m saying that right now: I will get a Grammy. Guarantee I’m getting a Grammy.

Who are some of your dream collaborators on the hip-hop side and the country side?

I definitely want to do something with Jelly Roll. 

You know he used to rap too?

Yes! And he didn’t blow up until the country stuff and made the music that made you feel. Alexander King — that’s my dog — he’s the person me and Jelly have in common. He’s the one who gave me the idea to do a country album. Hip-Hop, probably Kodak Black, but I’ll give you a little scoop on something: I want to do something with Future, but I already have something in the can that we’re gonna drop this year with Metro [Boomin]. It’s so hot. Me and Metro already done it. 

You and John Cena have shared so many memorable moments in the ring. Has there ever been a time when the two of you talked about crossing paths in the studio on the rap side?

We have and agreed that it would never see the light of day. It’s called “The Jumpoff.” 

What’s the story behind it?

So we’d go on these European tours for two weeks, right? This was when The Usos were young and we’d have these things called “The Jumpoff,” where we’d just rap on the bus. Then, I’d tell John, “You should come back and we do a song together.” He said, “All right, cool.” John drove his tourbus down my street and we recorded something in the studio. It’ll never see the light of day. 

A Cardi B exclusive masterclass and a discourse on the escalating relationship between the music industry and AI are among the hot topics being presented by the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) during Grammy Week in Los Angeles. Rounding out the organization’s two-day slate of events (Jan. 27-28) are its annual Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Music Maker Dinner.

“Am I The Drama?: A Masterclass” will kick off the proceedings on Jan. 27 (5 p.m-8 p.m.). Presented in partnership with CURATED by Live Nation, the panel brings together Cardi B’s management team and experiential marketing experts to examine how the Grammy-winning artist “transformed authenticity into a cultural and marketing force.” Moderated by cultural marketer Sierra Lever, the discussion will feature Cardi B’s manager and Giant Music co-founder Shawn “Tubby” Holiday, her day-to-day manager Courtney Worrell at Full Stop Management, Atlantic Records executive vp, sales and streaming Angelique Jones and Walmart head of experiential marketing & cultural engagement Allison Barrie Rand.

BMAC joins forces with Universal Music Group on Jan. 28 (1 p.m.-3 p.m.) to present “Artists & Music in the Age of AI.” Described as “a first-of-its-kind gathering,” the panel session features a mix of CEOs from several of the leading AI companies, artists, songwriters and executives. Discussing the ethical, creative and economic concerns about AI will be: Prem Akkaraju (Stability AI), Ary Attie (Klay Vision), artist BT/Sound Labs, songwriter Michelle Lewis (SONA), executive Michael Nash (Universal Music Group), Shari Reich (NVIDIA), Andrew Sanchez (Udio), Kakul Srivastava (Splice), artist and executive Don Was (Blue Note Records) and artist/entrepreneur will.i.am.

That evening (7 p.m.-10 p.m.), BMAC will cap its 2026 Grammy Week events with the aforementioned Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Music Maker Dinner. Being held in partnership with ASCAP, this dinner will be hosted by BMAC, Jam & Lewis and Victoria Monét. In addition to revealing the next-gen recipients of the 2026 BMAC x ASCAP x Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Music Maker Grant, the evening will mark the presentation of the first-ever BMAC Music Maker Impact Award to Culture Collective founder/CEO Jonathan Azu, whose management roster includes 2026 Grammy nominee Leon Thomas. Attendees will be treated to a special musical tribute to Jam & Lewis curated by Adam Blackstone and friends, featuring surprise musical guests.

“Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are living examples of generosity,” commented ASCAP president and chairman Paul Williams in a statement. “As two of the most successful songwriter-producers of all time, their mentorship is a phenomenal gift that helps others to achieve their dreams. ASCAP is thrilled to support this Music Maker program to help the next generation of great writer-producers, who will learn from the best.”

Noted BMAC CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, “Black music has always powered the culture, but opportunity has not always matched the scale of its influence. The BMAC x Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Music Maker Grant is our commitment to changing that reality not with symbolism, but with real investment, real access and real pathways forward. By connecting the next generation of creators to two of the greatest architects of modern music, we’re ensuring they’re not just inspired by the legacy, but equipped to build their own and shape the future of this industry.”