Stranger Things star lands first Grammy nomination in an unexpected category

We're in the midst of Stranger Things mania right now as Netflix prepares for the seismic release of the show's fifth and final season later this month. There's no doubt that the three-part release will make history for Netflix in more ways than one, but in the lead up to the show's mega return, one of its stars has made some personal history with their burgeoning music career.

Stranger Things has a number of musicians in its cast, with Joe Keery and Maya Hawke among the most successful stars to launch careers in the music world. Maya Hawke has released three solo albums, and Joe Keery has also released three under his music moniker Djo. Celebrations are in order for Keery as his latest album just landed his music its first ever Grammy nomination.

The nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards were announced on Friday, Nov. 7, one day after Keery gathered with his Stranger Things castmates at the premiere event, and Djo's work was among the long list of nominees. While his music wasn't nominated in the major alternative categories, his album The Crux was nominated for Best Album Cover, a new award added this year.

Joe Keery lands first Grammy nomination with The Crux

On the nominations listing, art director William Wesley II is credited for the nomination, which unfortunately means that Keery isn't actually nominated himself, but his album still made this major achievement! As mentioned, this the inaugural year for the Best Album Cover category, and it's certainly an honor to have your work nominated (and hopefully) to begin the category's legacy.

According to a graphic from his label AWAL, Djo's album The Crux was submitted for consideration in the Best Alternative Music Album and Album of the Year categories. The song "Basic Being Basic" was submitted in the Best Alternative Music Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year categories, while "Gap Tooth Smile" was submitted Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Meanwhile, Djo was submitted for Best New Artist consideration.

Even though Djo didn't manage to land nominations in any of the above categories, the fact that his work finally got a look by the Recording Academy this year is a positive sign for his future releases. Keery has placed a conscious focus on music career as Djo, and with success already achieved with a viral song that nearly hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, there's nowhere to go but up.

Keery wrapped up his Back on You World Tour in October 2025 just in time for the promotional push for Stranger Things season 5. The first volume of four episodes premieres on Nov. 26, the second volume featuring three episodes arrives on Christmas Day, and the series finale hits Netflix and movie theaters on New Year's Eve. It's time to put some Djo on and get ready for Steve's big return!