The Chainsmokers is an American electronic DJ and production duo consisting of Alexander “Alex” Pall and Andrew “Drew” Taggart. They started out by releasing remixes of songs by indie artists.
The EDM-pop duo achieved a breakthrough with their 2014 song “#Selfie”, which became a top-twenty single in several countries.
The Chainsmokers were initially made up of Pall and former DJ Rhett Bixler. The Chainsmokers were re-formed as an EDM DJ duo in 2012 under the management of Adam Alpert in New York City.
Pall attended New York University for art history and music business while Taggart had been attending Syracuse University and was an intern at Interscope Records before the two met.
Full Name: The Chainsmokers
Origin: New York City, U.S.
Nationality: American
Net-worth: $80 million
Genre: EDM pop, electropop future bass
Occupation: Electronic DJ and Production
Members: Rhett Bixler
Label: Disruptor, Columbia, Sony
Career:
The duo started out by making remixes of indie bands. In 2012, they collaborated with Indian actress and recording artist Priyanka Chopra on the single “Erase” which was followed by “The Rookie” in early 2013.
The duo’s first live performance was opening for Timeflies at Terminal 5 in September 2014. Their single “#Selfie”, released for free in December 2013, was picked up by Dim Mak Records who re-released it in January 2014 and eventually streamed it to Republic Records.
The duo achieved breakthrough success as the single charted internationally and peaked on the Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Pall has described the song as “life-changing” for the pair.
Chainsmokers released “Kanye”, featuring sirenXX, the follow-up to “#Selfie”. Seven months later, they released “Let You Go”, featuring the American synthpop group Great Good Fine Ok.
They signed with Disruptor Records, a joint venture label with Sony Music Entertainment by their manager Adam Alpert, in April 2015.
On February 5, 2016, the duo released a new single, “Don’t Let Me Down”, featuring vocals from American singer Daya, which won a Grammy award.
On July 29, 2016, they released “Closer”, featuring American singer Halsey, which peaked at number one in the United States and United Kingdom, in addition to charts in eleven other countries.
On January 17, 2018, they released their single, entitled “Sick Boy”, which became the lead single of their sophomore album. A month later, a new single, “You Owe Me”, was released on February 16.
Members:
Alexander “Alex” Pall was born on May 16, 1985 (age 36). He shares the role of producer and DJ alongside Andrew Taggart, performing programming, mixing and mastering songs.
He also co-writes and plays the piano on some songs. According to Billboard magazine, Pall was raised in Westchester County, New York as the “son of an art dealer and a stay-at-home mom.”
Andrew “Drew” Taggart, born December 31, 1989 (age 32), was raised in Freeport, Maine. He shares the role of producer and DJ alongside Alex Pall, performing programming, mixing and mastering.
He is the band’s primary songwriter, and performs vocals and guitar on some songs. His mother is a teacher and his father sold prosthetics.
Matt McGuire serves as the group’s drummer and music director for live shows, and currently performs with them when they go on tour. McGuire also frequently appears alongside the duo in various music videos.
Songs:
Memories…Do Not Open
Sick Boy
World War Joy
So Far So Good
