The Chainsmokers are an American electronic DJ and production duo made up of Alexander "Alex" Pall and Andrew "Drew" Taggart. Formed in New York City in 2012, the Grammy-winning pair became the defining architects of the EDM-pop crossover, blending festival-scale electronic production with pop songwriting — and, increasingly, singing on their own records. With three RIAA Diamond-certified singles and five studio albums to their name, they announced in October 2026 that they were going independent after 11 years with Columbia Records and Disruptor Records.
Early Life
Alex Pall was born on May 16, 1985, in Westchester County, New York, and studied art at New York University, where he DJed around the city. Drew Taggart was born on December 31, 1989, in Freeport, Maine, and attended Syracuse University. Taggart fell in love with electronic music at the age of 15 through the sounds of David Guetta, Daft Punk and Trentemøller, and began producing his own tracks as a teenager.
The pair met in New York in 2012 through manager Adam Alpert, who was assembling a new electronic act. Pall and Taggart clicked immediately and started making music together. A third member, Rhett Bixler, was part of the earliest lineup but left the project soon after it began, leaving the duo as it is known today.
Career
The Chainsmokers released their debut single, "Erase", in 2012, but their breakthrough arrived in January 2014 with "#Selfie", a tongue-in-cheek dance track that went viral online and topped Billboard's Dance chart. They signed with Disruptor Records and Columbia Records in 2015 and released the Bouquet EP that October, powered by "Roses", which climbed into the US Top 10.
The year 2016 changed everything. "Don't Let Me Down" featuring Daya won them the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2017, while "Closer" featuring Halsey — released in July 2016 — became their first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 and one of the defining songs of the decade. The Collage EP followed in November 2016.
Their debut studio album, Memories...Do Not Open (April 2017), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and featured "Paris" and "Something Just Like This" with Coldplay. They followed it with Sick Boy (2018), World War Joy (2019), So Far So Good (2022) and Summertime Friends (2023), alongside the EPs No Hard Feelings (2024), Breathe (2025) and Love Is Kind with Oaks (May 2026).
Their awards cabinet holds one Grammy Award, two American Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards and nine iHeartRadio Music Awards. They count three RIAA Diamond-certified singles, were named Forbes' highest-paid DJs in 2019, and have sold more than 118 million records worldwide. In 2019, Pall and Taggart also co-founded Mantis VC, a venture capital firm backing early-stage startups.
Recent Work (2024–2026)
The duo released the No Hard Feelings EP in 2024, which included "Don't Lie" with Kim Petras, followed by the Breathe EP in 2025. In May 2026 they put out Love Is Kind, a collaborative EP with Oaks, while continuing their Las Vegas residency.
On October 13, 2026, the Chainsmokers announced they were becoming independent artists after 11 years with Columbia and Disruptor Records — ending one of the longest major-label runs in modern dance music. The move followed their management split from Adam Alpert in 2025.
Personal Life
Drew Taggart married model Marianne Fonseca, the founder of GENTE Beauty, in an intimate sunset beach wedding on December 29, 2025. The couple got engaged on December 3, 2024, after meeting at an Oscars after-party in 2023. Taggart was previously linked with Eve Jobs in 2022 and Selena Gomez in early 2023.
Alex Pall keeps his personal life largely private, and unconfirmed details are omitted from this biography.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official video of "Closer" featuring Halsey below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the members of The Chainsmokers?
The duo consists of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart. They formed in New York City in 2012 and write, produce and perform together.
What was their first big hit?
Their debut single was "Erase" (2012), but their breakout was the viral dance track "#Selfie" in January 2014.
Which song won them the Grammy?
"Don't Let Me Down" featuring Daya won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2017.
Why did they go independent in 2026?
On October 13, 2026, they announced they were leaving Columbia and Disruptor Records after 11 years to release music as independent artists, following their 2025 management split from Adam Alpert.
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