Taggart: We hit 30 number ones on Hype Machine in our first year
Drew Taggart · The Chainsmokers’ Journey from DJs to VCs · Invest Like The Best · Jun 24, 2025 · at 1:02:02
Drew Taggart of The Chainsmokers and Mantis VC describes the growth-hacking tactics and personalized outreach to music bloggers that catalyzed their early success.
0:00 / 0:06exact quote · 6.5s
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube → 720p mp4 · rendered on demand · StarZero watermark
“And I think within the first year of our career, you know, we went from zero to 30 number ones on Hype Machine.”
quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →
More from Drew Taggart
Taggart: Forward-thinking record labels could have built Spotify themselves
“If they had been forward-thinking and accepted that they would have created Spotify, we wouldn't be paying an extra 30% to a DSP.”
Taggart: AI tools expand access rather than entrenching incumbent musicians
“I think what it does is actually kind of the opposite, is like, it just allows more people to be able to make music, and perform music, and create an experience that other people connect to. Like, I think music is just, you know, is my personal favorite form o…”
Taggart: Product visionaries should hire a CEO rather than be CEO
“Like you don't have to be the CEO of your business. You know, hire someone that's great at that. That's going to deal with that. If you're the best product person, you're the best visionary at the company, don't be the CEO.”
Taggart: There is no formula for writing pop or dance hits
“You'd think that we'd have a formula now on how to, like, write a dance song at least, or write a pop song. Forget about trying to write, like, the truest song for you at that moment, but, like, it's still, it can come from anywhere, and it's so difficult, and…”
Taggart: New dance artists sell out arenas despite modest Spotify numbers
“The stars of, the new stars of dance right now, that are doing like, blowing out Madison Square Gardens, or doing the basically festival sized crowds for their own shows, If you looked at them on their Spotify monthly listeners, like we were talking about earl…”