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16 Facts Most People Don’t Know About The Chainsmokers

Chainsmokers performing
MAY 25, 2018: The Chainsmokers in concert at BottleRock Napa Valley in Napa, CA

Last updated on April 15th, 2022 at 10:56 pm

You might have heard about the music duo, the Chainsmokers, before. They first broke out into the music world in 2014 with the release of their single “Selfie”. Since this release, they have continued to release pop music hits, and their songs are frequently featured high up on the pop music charts.

Whether you are a casual or a hardcore fan, there are some facts about the Chainsmokers you may not know. Keep reading to learn about 16 facts about the Chainsmokers you might not have known about before. 

They are a Duo

This might not be the biggest surprise, but some people might not know that the Chainsmokers are a music duo, they aren’t a group or band. This duo is made up of Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall. With this fact out of the way, it is time to get into some more interesting facts.

The Chainsmokers performing
The Chainsmokers playing live at VELD in 2016. Photo by The Come Up Show.

They Once Criticized Donald Trump

In 2016, after their performance at the Ultra Music Festival, they took their opportunity on stage to denounce Donald Trump. The recording of them denouncing the then-president naturally caused some controversy on the internet. Some fans criticized the Chainsmokers for their speech, but others were supportive of it. 

The Original Chainsmokers Didn’t Include Drew

That’s right, the Chainsmokers were actually created by Alex Pall and Rhett Bixler. This first duo didn’t quite work out, which is why Rhett left and Drew Taggart became the other half of this DJ duo. In the end, things worked out for the Chainsmokers, as this DJ duo has accomplished great things in the music industry since the departure of Rhett Bixler. 

They Are Fashion Creators

In addition to their success in the music industry, the Chainsmokers have also been involved in the fashion industry. They have helped the New York City-based brand “Our Thing” with their creative design. If you have seen how the Chainsmokers dress, then it is no surprise that they have also been involved with fashion before.

They Attended Top Schools

Both Drew Taggart and Alex Pall were students at prestigious colleges before forming the Chainsmokers. Drew Taggart went to Syracuse University in New York. Meanwhile, Alex Pall attended college at New York University in New York City.

Both of these schools are highly regarded and difficult to get into. This just goes on to show that aside from being great music artists and fashion creators, the Chainsmokers are also quite smart.

During their years at college, both Alex and Drew studied music. This is somewhat surprising since most big artists don’t study music before entering into the music business. However, those years of studying music in college seem like they have paid off. 

Chainsmokers at hakkasan
The Chainsmokers at Hakkasan Night Club, Las Vegas in 2016. Photo by David Jones.

Drew’s First Live Performance

Drew Taggart’s first live performance as a part of the Chainsmokers actually took place live at the VMA’s. Although he had performed live before, his first performance singing as a member of the duo in front of a live audience took place in 2016 at the VMA’s. 

The duo performed their new single from that year, “Closer,” which includes vocals from Drew and singing by vocalist Halsey. This performance from the Chainsmokers was heavily criticized by fans and other critics. To be fair it was Drew’s first time in front of such a big audience, so critics should probably cut him some slack.  

They’ve Been Collabing With Celebrities From The Start

For the first two songs of the Chainsmokers’ career, they collaborated with Priyanka Chopra. For those of you that may not know who she is, Priyanka Chopra is a famous Indian actress and is married to Nick Jonas. 

The Chainsmokers worked with her to create their first two songs before they became famous. One of the songs that came out of this collaboration was the famous single “Erase.” This song would help the Chainsmokers kick start their careers, and go on to become what they are today.

Over the years the Chainsmokers would become famous for their collaborations as they’ve also collaborated with Emily Warren, Louane, Ty Dolla $ign, and Florida Georgia Line.

Soundcloud Debut

The Chainsmokers first began releasing music on the famous music platform Soundcloud. Part of the reason why they might have chosen to release their first couple of songs on Soundcloud instead of on Spotify or Apple Music is because Soundcloud allows users to publish their music for free. 

Soundcloud also allows users to listen to music for free. It is for this reason that many artists today still choose to release their first songs on Soundcloud to build up a following. This way they can avoid having to pay extra money to use Apple Music or Spotify. This is also how Billie Eilish got her start.

They Kicked Off Their Careers With a Bang

The Chainsmokers first-ever album was released in 2015 and was named Bouquet. This debut EP was a wild success. The new single “Roses,” a collaboration with Rozes, from the album, reached the top 10 in the U.S Billboard hot 100 charts. This certainly was not a bad start for their debut album. 

Pre-Show Ritual

Although it might sound weird, the Chainsmokers like to eat steak and drink espressos before their shows. Despite the fact that this ritual might sound weird to most people, the Chainsmokers have stated that this ritual hypes them up before performing.

Now you know that next time you need to hype yourself up, all you need to do is eat a steak and drink an espresso. 

Chainsmokers 2017
The Chainsmokers @ The American Airlines Arena in 2017. Photo by Arobles8592.

Their Computer Crashed While Recording “Don’t Let Me Down”

“Don’t Let Me Down” is one of the most famous and iconic songs of the last decade. This song featuring female singer Daya was so popular that it won the Chainsmokers a Grammy award. The song earned a Grammy award for “Best Dance Recording” thanks to the music video that was made for the song. 

This song is one of the most popular songs released by The Chainsmokers. “Don’t Let Me Down” was released in 2016 and was part of the Collage album which features other popular songs like “Closer.” The computer that was being used to record the song crashed during the process, and because of this, they had to start the song all over. 

Good thing it did too because although we may never know what was originally on that computer, the final result is certainly award-winning. 

Collabing With Their Favorite Artist

The Chainsmokers used to look up to famous artist Coldplay when they were growing up, and when they first started making music. After looking up to Coldplay for years, they got the chance to collaborate with them in 2017. Coldplay and the Chainsmokers released “Something Just Like This” in 2017.

The song was a wild success. The song reached the number one spot on Billboard’s Pop Songs radio airplay chart. The Chainsmokers got a chance to collaborate with someone they looked up to and be extremely successful at the same time. 

Their Career Began With Remixes

Before becoming a successful EDM duo, they began their career by remixing songs by indie artists. This might be hard to believe, but it is true. Before becoming the successful EDM pop duo that they are today, they began by remixing other people’s songs. 

Looking back now at all of their hit singles like “Selfie,” “Closer,” Don’t Let me Down,” “Roses,” and many more, it is hard to believe that they began their music career with remixes. 

They Were Introduced By Their Manager

In 2012, the Chainsmokers were formed by Alex Pall and Andrew Tallgart after Rhett Bixler left the duo. What is interesting about this is how this happened. Alex was managed by Adam Alpert in New York City. At this time, Drew was an intern at Interscope Records. 

During his time working as an intern at Interscope Records, Drew developed an interest in becoming a DJ. It was at this time that a friend of Drew that was working with Alpert told him that a duo that was being managed by Adam had an open slot.

After hearing about this opportunity, Drew decided to leave Maine and head to New York City to meet with Alex and Adam. As they say, the rest is history. These two would go on to win multiple music awards including a Grammy award, two American Music Awards, and Seven Billboard Music Awards. 

the chainsmokers AMA
Alex Pall, Andrew Taggart, The Chainsmokers at the 2016 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2016, in Los Angeles, CA.

They Took a Break From Social Media in 2020

The Chain Smokers posted on their Instagram and Twitter on February 24, 2020, to announce to their fans that they will be taking a break from social media to focus on their next album named TCS4. This is quite rare for a music duo as many performers, especially those in the dance music sector, rely on social media to grow their fan base. 

The break lasted for over a year, as the band stated they needed the time to work on their new album and wouldn’t return until it was finished. 

There are Famous People Who Hate The Chainsmokers

It might come as a surprise to you, but the Chainsmokers actually have their share of haters. The most notable is Deadmau5, who took to Twitter in 2017 and made very public his distaste. He says he regrets having ever listened to their music. 

This might be because the two are considered rivals in the music world and both held residencies in Las Vegas over the years at the same nightclubs. Good thing for The Chainsmokers the fans don’t seem to agree and The Chainsmokers are well on their way to becoming one of the most popular DJ duos in the world.

Written by Hope Davis

Long-time music lover Hope became a full-time writer in 2020 after being laid off from her regular job due to COVID-19. She now spends her time traveling the world to see her favorite bands while writing about them!

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