In Forbes’ annual list of “Electronic Cash Kings” for the year 2019, The Chainsmokers came out on top for having grossed a total of $46 million in earnings.
Not surprising at all, since the year saw the dynamic pair of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart comprising The Chainsmokers EDm duo, swamped with festivals and private show engagements, on top of fulfilling the third year of their 3-year residency contract with Wynn Nightlife’s nightclubs, XS Las Vegas and Encore Beach Club. The sum totaled by Forbes, also includes earnings from music record sales and endorsements.
It must have been written in the stars that the two EDM talents are destined to meet each other, and to work successfully together. How else to explain, how two people born and raised miles apart in the U.S. and with a 4-year gap between their birth years, would become the elite pair of EDM artists in today’s highly competitive music industry.
Is Alex Pall’s personality, who was born May 16 under the Taurus zodiac, really compatible with Drew Taggart’s Saggitarian (born December 31) disposition? Astrologers say the zodiac combination is indeed compatible. Mainly because of the 12 zodiac signs under which people are born, those born under the Sagittarius and Taurus sun signs, are the most driven by the desire to fulfill ambitions in ways they believe is most unique to them.
Individually, Drew and Alex possess the talent and skills, but it seems they also have the right blend of personalities that would enable them to work together harmoniously. Moreover, their destiny as EDM deejays must have been linked, since The Chainsmokers did not start out with Alex Pall and Drew Taggart as pair.
The Chainsmokers Background Info
Alex Pall, who in 2012 was still working in an art gallery in New York, founded The Chainsmokers EDM duo with another deejay, Rhett Bixler. Through their manager, Adam Alpert, the original pair had worked 5 nights a week, via 5-hour sets in New York bars and clubs at $200 per set. However, Bixler quit in the same year. Rather than be disparaged, Alex Pall quit his art gallery job, bought the rights to The Chainsmoker franchise and looked for another partner.
In 2012, Drew Taggart on the other hand, was still working as an intern at Interscope Records while attending Syracuse University. Taggart, who has had some experience and exposure in EDM and in deejaying in Argentina, had heard from one of Alpert’s staff about the vacant Chainsmoker spot. The rest is history when Drew Taggart presented himself to Alpert, to which the latter was apparently impressed enough to introduce and recommend Drew Taggart to Alex Pall.
The Chainsmoker re-formed with Alex and Taggart as partners, and soon enough released a remix of “Medicine” by Daughter in April 2013. The release quickly rose to the number one spot on Hype Machine’s list of most loved music. Little did the two know that their combination was headed for more success in the years ahead.
The Chainsmokers and Their String of Early Successes
The 2014 “Selfie” song became a top twenty single not only in the U.S. but in several countries as well.
Their debut Extended Player (EP) “Bouquet,” released in October 2015 and its single “Roses” catapulted to the top 10 of US Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
“Closer”, which the duo produced and released in July 2016, featuring singer-songwriter Halsey, became their first Number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed at the top spot for 12 consecutive weeks in more than 10 countries.
Also in 2016 “Don’t Let Me Down” featuring Daya, another Billboard chartbuster, won the “Best Dance Recording of The Year” in the 59th Grammy Award.
The year 2016 was incredible for The Chainsmokers, as they also won the American Music Awards’ recognition for being the “Favorite Electronic/Dance Music Artist” and “Best Collaboration” of the year.
Year 2017 was even better as Alex and Drew’s The Chainsmoker teamup bagged the American Music Awards “Artist of the Year” and “Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group” titles.