60 Fun Facts About The Chainsmokers

Who are the two members of The Chainsmokers?

Taggart is the primary songwriter and sings on some tracks; Pall plays piano on a few.

Which 2014 novelty track gave The Chainsmokers their breakthrough?

Pall has called the song life-changing for the pair.

Which manager put the two members together in New York in 2012?

He went on to run their label Disruptor Records and their film company.

Who was Alex Pall's original partner in The Chainsmokers before Drew Taggart joined?

Taggart left Maine for New York after hearing the duo had an open spot.

Where was Alex Pall working when he was introduced to Drew Taggart?

He had studied art history and music business at NYU.

Where did Drew Taggart study before joining The Chainsmokers?

He also interned at Interscope Records.

In which state was Drew Taggart raised?

His mother is a teacher and his father sold prosthetics.

Which Indian actress collaborated with The Chainsmokers on the 2012 single "Erase"?

A second collaboration, "The Rookie", followed in early 2013.

Which label picked up their breakthrough single and re-released it in January 2014?

Founder Steve Aoki appears among the celebrity selfies in the video.

The Chainsmokers' first live performance was opening for which act at Terminal 5?

It took place in September 2014, well after #Selfie had charted.

What was The Chainsmokers' August 2014 follow-up single to their breakthrough hit?

It featured sirenXX; "Let You Go" arrived seven months later.

Which label, a joint venture with Sony run by their manager, did The Chainsmokers sign with in 2015?

Their debut album came out via Disruptor and Columbia.

Which 2015 single gave The Chainsmokers their first Billboard Hot 100 top-10 hit?

It reached number six in February 2016 and cites Taylor Swift and Max Martin as production influences.

What was the name of The Chainsmokers' debut EP, released in October 2015?

"New York City" was released as its fifth and final single a week later.

Which singer features on "Don't Let Me Down"?

Taggart chose her after hearing her song "Hide Away".

Which Grammy Award did "Don't Let Me Down" win?

It was the duo's only Grammy win to date.

"Don't Let Me Down" was originally intended for which superstar, whose team turned it down?

Taggart said he created the drop during a flight.

Which singer duets with Drew Taggart on "Closer"?

It was the first Hot 100 number one for both acts.

How many consecutive weeks did "Closer" spend at number one on the Billboard Hot 100?

It was also the first song ever to spend 26 weeks in the chart's top five.

Drew Taggart said 'Closer' was inspired by which pop-punk band the duo played on repeat?

He first named "I Miss You" and later said it was probably "Feeling This".

At which 2016 ceremony did The Chainsmokers give a performance Taggart later said "sounded like shit"?

The New York Times and Rolling Stone called it the worst performance of the night.

The beat of "Closer" was created in a session with Freddy Kennett, a member of which electronic act?

Canadian DJ Shaun Frank co-wrote the song and encouraged Taggart to sing it.

What was the title of The Chainsmokers' second EP, released in November 2016?

It followed a debut EP whose title was another arty single word.

What is the title of The Chainsmokers' debut studio album?

It debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 221,000 album-equivalent units.

Which band joined The Chainsmokers on "Something Just Like This"?

Its lyric video set a record with nine million views in one day.

At which event was "Something Just Like This" premiered live in February 2017?

The single was released the same day as the London performance.

Roughly how many views did the "Something Just Like This" lyric video get in one day, a record?

The track went on to rack up over 21 million digital sales.

Which songwriter sang uncredited backing vocals on "Paris" after a last-minute studio call?

She said the duo wanted it to be a Chainsmokers record rather than a featured duet.

Which fashion model stars in the official video for "Paris"?

The lyric video was directed separately by Rory Kramer.

With which Las Vegas resort did The Chainsmokers sign an exclusive three-year residency in 2017?

The deal covered XS Las Vegas and Encore Beach Club through 2019.

What was the title of The Chainsmokers' second album, released in December 2018?

Its ten songs had been trickled out as singles across the year.

How did The Chainsmokers release the songs on their second album?

They repeated the monthly-single approach for their third album the following year.

Which rapper's collaboration with The Chainsmokers, "In My Head", leaked online in July 2018?

The leak came the same year as "Sick Boy" and "Side Effects".

What is the name of the film production company The Chainsmokers launched with their manager as CEO?

Its first project was a movie inspired by their hit "Paris".

Which 2019 single with 5 Seconds of Summer became the most successful track from World War Joy?

The two acts then toured 41 North American cities together.

Where did The Chainsmokers hold their controversial "Safe & Sound" drive-in charity concert in July 2020?

New York's governor called the crowding egregious and ordered an investigation.

Which Wall Street chief executive, who DJs as D-Sol, co-headlined the 2020 Safe & Sound concert?

The show was presented by JAJA, a tequila brand co-owned by the duo.

How much were the organisers of the Safe & Sound concert fined by New York State?

The penalty was for holding a non-essential event and failing to enforce mask rules.

The Chainsmokers scored the soundtrack of which 2020 film during their hiatus?

It included the new song "If Walls Could Talk".

What was the title of The Chainsmokers' fourth album, released in May 2022?

It was their first album in three years and had no featured artists.

What was unusual about the credits on The Chainsmokers' 2022 album?

Chris Martin and Akon still appear in the writing credits.

How many royalty-sharing NFTs from their 2022 album did The Chainsmokers give to fans?

The giveaway came four days after the album's release.

What was the title of The Chainsmokers' fifth studio album, released in October 2023?

Its cover art nods to a Wong Kar-wai film.

The cover art of the duo's fifth album was inspired by which director's 1995 film Fallen Angels?

The Hong Kong director is best known for In the Mood for Love.

What is the name of the venture capital firm Pall and Taggart started in 2019?

It raised $110 million and invests mainly in B2B startups such as Chainguard.

Whom did The Chainsmokers dethrone as the world's highest-paid DJs on Forbes' 2019 list?

The Scot had held the top spot for six straight years.

What tequila brand is co-owned by The Chainsmokers?

It presented their 2020 drive-in charity show.

Which rock band have The Chainsmokers cited as an influence alongside Pharrell and Deadmau5?

Their songs have also drawn on Taking Back Sunday, The xx and Explosions in the Sky.

According to Alex Pall, what did the name "Chainsmokers" originally refer to?

He said it was a provisional name chosen because the web domain was free.

Which drummer became The Chainsmokers' live music director in 2015?

Matt McGuire joined the live show in 2015 and also pops up frequently in their music videos.

In which country was Drew Taggart living at 15 when he first got into electronic dance music?

He was introduced there to David Guetta, Daft Punk and Trentemøller.

Where was The Chainsmokers' 2016 ranking on DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJs list?

They had debuted on the list at 97th in 2014.

In which New York county was Alex Pall raised?

Billboard described him as the son of an art dealer and a stay-at-home mom.

Which artist's 2025 song "The Fate of Ophelia" did The Chainsmokers remix in November 2025?

Taggart has long cited her as an influence on the duo's writing.

How did Berklee student Tony Ann's piano cover of "Paris" land him a spot on the duo's 2017 tour?

Kiiara and Emily Warren were the tour's official support acts.

Which singer features on the 2016 Chainsmokers single 'All We Know'?

It was released on 29 September 2016, shortly after the duo's widely panned MTV VMAs performance.

With how many album-equivalent units did Memories...Do Not Open debut at number one on the Billboard 200?

Of those, 166,000 were pure album sales; the album was certified double platinum in May 2022.

Which Japanese rock star performed a classical version of 'Closer' with the duo in a 2023 documentary?

The collaboration appears in the film Yoshiki: Under the Sky.

What was the title of the four-song EP the duo released on 24 October 2025?

Its tracks included 'Veins' with Daya and 'Air' with Absolutely; a second EP with Oaks, Love Is Kind, followed in May 2026.

How many iHeartRadio Music Awards have The Chainsmokers won?

Their haul also includes a Grammy, two American Music Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards.