Meet The Chainsmokers: EDM's "Selfie" Kings Talk Picking the Right Name

The Chainsmokers—aka those "Selfie" guys—break down the origin of their name.

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What's in a name? For artists, the answer can be "a lot." While many acts are just using their birthnames or childhood nicknames as their musical identities, others are taking the time to craft monikers that truly signify what they path is about. Or they're taking a certain phrase that sounds catchy and running with it. With the "Meet" series, we'll be looking at the stories behind the names of some of today's brightest acts.

One of the biggest names in EDM to rise in 2014 was The Chainsmokers. This NYC-based duo are behind the megahit "Selfie," which landed them a seven-figure publishing deal with Sony and a performance on American Idol. It's one of those records that was catchy enough to blow up outside of the EDM scene, and struck a viral chord almost immediately. Instead of being one-hit wonders, they followed this up with the inspiring "Kanye," which screams to many of us who recognize the inner-Kanye in all of us and want to use that spirit to do more. It might be hard to do more with a name like "The Chainsmokers," though.

For as obvious as their name is (yes, they used to chain smoke), The Chainsmokers drop some dope information for artists on the come-up who are trying to capitalize on any non-musical money situations that might fall into their laps. Basically, if you're trying to guap up, make sure the name you choose to brand yourself with is family-friendly. 

And for those who want to know a bit more about what's going on with this duo right now, check out the latest edition of their "Nice Hair" mix series:

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