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Decide
Studio album by Djo
Released	September 16, 2022
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	36:03
Label	Djo Music AWAL
Producer	Joe Keery Adam Thein
Djo chronology
Twenty Twenty (2019) Decide (2022)
Singles from Decide
"Change" Released: June 22, 2022 "Gloom" Released: July 25, 2022 "Figure You Out" Released: August 26, 2022 "Half Life" Released: September 9, 2022 "End of Beginning" Released: March 1, 2024

Decide is the second studio album by the American actor and singer-songwriter Joe Keery, under his alias Djo. It was independently released on September 16, 2022.

Decide was supported by five singles: "Change", "Gloom", "Figure You Out", "Half Life", and "End of Beginning". The album was described as synth-pop.

Background and development

The American actor and musician Joe Keery started releasing music under the alias Djo in 2019, when he left the band Post Animal after three projects between 2015 and 2018. He released his debut studio album, Twenty Twenty, was released on September 13, 2019, and was supported by three singles and concerts in the United States. In an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Keery stated that the decision of performing under the name Djo was made after he had the idea to not be "directly connected" to him. He also plays wearing a wig, inspired by the entertainer Andy Kaufman. In an interview with NME, he said that it started to separate his musical career from Steve Harrington, his character in the series Stranger Things, but he then liked "the camaraderie that it creates".

Keery and the producer Adam Thein started developing Decide in 2019, in parallel to a series of concerts in promotion of Twenty Twenty. They continued working on the album during the COVID-19 pandemic through screen-shared Ableton sessions. The two were bandmates in Post Animal and also collaborated on Twenty Twenty. In 2020, he told Rolling Stone that he was "recording for fun, downloading music". During the development of Decide, Keery had moments of "self-doubt", attached to his character in Stranger Things. Watching The Beatles: Get Back (2021) helped him; it showcases the Beatles creating their final studio album Let It Be (1970). Keery listened to the personal lyrics of the rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar, and took them as a reference to not "edit" himself on the album. In late 2021, they recorded the album at The Sound Factory in Los Angeles.

Singles

The album's lead single, "Change", was released on June 22, 2022. The album's second single, "Gloom", was released on July 25, 2022. The album's third single, "Figure You Out", was released on August 26, 2022. The album's fourth single, "Half Life", was released on September 9, 2022, one week prior to the album's release.

The album's sixth track, "End of Beginning", became Keery's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following its increased usage on the social media app TikTok, debuting at number 51 on the chart dated March 2, 2024. It was released to Italian radio on March 1, 2024, as the album's fifth single.

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	77/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10
DIY
Dork
Exclaim!	7/10
The Line of Best Fit	8/10
Pitchfork	6.8/10

Decide received a score of 77 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. Quinn Moreland of Pitchfork praised the album's overall concept and its influences from Daft Punk and Tame Impala. Neive McCarthy of DIY gave the album 4 stars, praising its musical and lyrical departure from Keery's previous album, Twenty Twenty.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Joe Keery and Adam Thein.

Charts

References

1. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/djo-decide/
2. Disalvo, Tom (June 23, 2022). "Joe Keery releases new single 'Change' ahead of sophomore solo album, Decide". NME. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
3. Mier, Tomás (July 25, 2022). "Joe Keery Channels Talking Heads on Djo Single 'Gloom'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
4. "Ones to Watch". Ones to Watch. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
5. Lombardi, Lauren. "A Critique of the Internet by One of Its Favorite Stars: Djo's "Half Life"". The Fordham Ram. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
6. ^ "Djo: Decide Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
7. Benitez-Eves, Tina (June 22, 2022). "'Stranger Things' Actor Joe Keery Releases "Change" Off Forthcoming Album 'Decide'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
8. Thiessen, Brock (August 29, 2019). "'Stranger Things' Star Joe Keery Unveils Debut Album as Djo". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
9. Rossignol, Derrick (July 25, 2022). "Djo (AKA 'Stranger Things' Star Joe Keery) Drops The Jaunty Alt-Rocker 'Gloom'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
10. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (August 11, 2022). "Joe Keery: "I want my stage persona to surprise people"". NME. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
11. ^ Glicksman, Josh (August 26, 2022). "Joe Keery Is Turning Expectations Upside Down With Music Project Djo". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
12. Disalvo, Tom (June 23, 2022). "Joe Keery releases new single 'Change' ahead of sophomore solo album, 'Decide'". NME. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
13. Paul, Larisha (August 26, 2022). "Joe Keery Feels Disconnected From Reality on Djo Single 'Figure You Out'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
14. Kaufman, Gil (June 22, 2022). "'Stranger Things' Star Joe Keery Drops 'Change' Single, Preps Second Solo Album as DJO". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
15. Ackroyd, Stephen (June 22, 2022). "Joe Keery's Djo has announced a new album, 'Decide'". Dork. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
16. "Djo - Joe Keery - Shares New Single 'Change'". Clash Magazine. June 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
17. Mier, Tomás (July 25, 2022). "Joe Keery Channels Talking Heads on Djo Single 'Gloom'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
18. "Djo, aka Stranger Things' Joe Keery, unveils new track "Figure You Out"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
19. Arnone, Joey (September 9, 2022). "Djo (Joe Keery from "Stranger Things") Shares New Single "Half Life"". Under the Radar.
20. Zellner, Xander (February 27, 2024). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Djo (Joe Keery From 'Stranger Things') Debuts With Viral Hit 'End of Beginning'". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
21. ^ "Decide by Djo Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
22. McDermott, Lauren (September 14, 2022). "Djo – Decide Review". Clash. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
23. ^ "Djo – Decide". DIY. September 16, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
24. Holden, Finlay (September 16, 2022). "Djo – Decide Album Review". Dork. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
25. Hartman, Daniel (September 14, 2022). "Djo Looks Back to the Future on Neon-Hued Decide". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
26. Hamilton, Christopher (September 16, 2022). "Djo Decide". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
27. "Djo Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
28. "Dutchcharts.nl – Djo – Decide" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
29. "Offiziellecharts.de – Djo – Decide" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
30. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2024. 11. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
31. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
32. "Djo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
33. "Djo Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
34. "Djo Chart History (Top Rock & Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2024.

• 2022 albums
• Joe Keery albums
• AWAL albums