The Stranger Things star is at number one as the show’s songs surge in the charts

Stranger Things star Joe Keery, aka Joe, has reached number one in the UK, while several 1980s tracks used on the soundtrack have returned to the charts following the show’s conclusion.

Carey plays Steve Harrington on the Netflix show and goes by the name Joe when releasing music.

Their song End of the Beginning was originally released in 2022 and previously peaked at number four in the UK in 2024 but has now finally reached the top position.

Prince’s Purple Rain, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill and The Police’s Every Breath You Take, all of which featured on the hit show’s soundtrack, also feature in this week’s top 20.

Joe’s song isn’t actually on the Stranger Things soundtrack, but it became a viral trend on TikTok as fans edited the last episode using The End of the Beginning.

The UK Official Charts Company reports that a total of 5.4 million people streamed the song in the UK this week.

It is also the song’s biggest worldwide hit to date, with over 55 million plays globally on Spotify in the last week.

It overtook Taylor Swift’s The Fate of Ophelia to take over Spotify’s global top spot on January 2, the day after the final episode of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things dropped on Netflix.

The show has also had a major impact on our other listening choices.

• 12 – Prince (pictured), Purple Rain (1984)
• 14 – Kate Bush, Running Up That Hill (1985)
• 17 – The Police, Every Breath You Take (1983)
• 20 – Fleetwood Mac, Landslide (1975)
• 26 – Diana Ross, Upside Down (1980)
• 27 – Tiffany, I Think We’re Alone Now (1988)
• 34 – David Bowie, Heroes (1977)
• 40 – The Clash, Should I Stay or Should I Go (1982)

All of the above songs are included in season five except The Police’s Every Breath You Take, which was in season two, and The Clash’s Should I Stay or Should I Go, which was in season one.

Most have been inspired by a combination of their performances on the show and TikTok, and their revival fits into a broader trend of older songs resurfacing on social media and streaming.

“TikTok has a habit of capitalising on nostalgia as a way to keep audiences engaged,” said Sarah Klobov, of music data trackers Chartmetrics.

“For older generations, familiar catalogue hits stick with them because they feel sentimental.

“However, for younger users, the release date may not matter because they are hearing everything for the first time. These older tracks ultimately attract a broader audience.”

Despite not appearing in the latest Stranger Things season, The Police song has recently received particularly renewed popularity around the world.

It was played more than any other older song last week, reaching number eight on Spotify’s weekly global chart with over 25 million streams.

This is up from a previous peak of number 21 on the Spotify weekly chart in mid-November.

Stranger Things isn’t the only phenomenon bringing old songs back into the charts – Zara Larsson’s 2016 hit Lush Life is back in the Official UK Singles Chart at number eight thanks to a TikTok dance trend.