I tried to hate The Chainsmokers, I really did, and I failed miserably.
I have never been a fan of pop music or electronic music. Naturally, their combination would be my worst nightmare, but what The Chainsmokers do is special.
Drew Taggart and Alex Pall met in New York City in 2012 and began to collaborate. The DJ EDM duo had what some would consider an unexpected rise to fame, but if you look at the state of the industry, it all makes sense.
The Chainsmokers are written off by some as a textbook crossover, like a country-pop singer or a rock band with a catchy single on the Top 40, but I believe the band is part of a larger movement. Mainstream music has been becoming more electronic for some time now, so it was only a matter of time before EDM artists started to see the light of day, from a global perspective.
The Chainsmokers represent the future of music, plain and simple. Singles sell — records do not. The beats produced on laptops can carry more weight than guitar riffs, these days.
I’ve long resented the fact the industry is headed in that direction. It just seemed so much less genuine than an artist plucking strings and penning lengthy verses. My flaw was in letting those pre-conceived notions cloud my
“Paris” is on all of my playlists now, right alongside my indie and alternative tracks. Sure, “Closer” is annoying, but only because of how successful it was. I now understand Halsey’s decision to work with them — something that had previously aggravated me. I now realize that there is, in fact, a lot of intellect that goes into their music.
I miss out on something great because I am so stuck in my ways that I cannot believe something everybody is into could actually be of value. The Chainsmokers were a gem hidden in plain sight, and I had just been too close-minded to see that.
You do not have to be born a gifted lyricist or a guitar god to create great music. The genius of The Chainsmokers is that they recognized that and filled the spot before anyone else could. Their music is innovative and cool. Trendy, but also different, in just the right ways. They blended EDM and pop well and at exactly the right moment.
The Chainsmokers’ rise to fame was not a coincidence; it was inevitable.
Halle Weber is a freshman studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you like The Chainsmokers? Let Halle know by tweeting at her @HalleWeber13.
