The Chainsmokers Embrace Independence with New Single ‘Baby’

A new era has arrived for one of electronic music’s most influential duos of the past decade. The Chainsmokers have officially gone independent, launching their own record label, Secondhand Happiness. Leaving behind an 11-year tenure with Disruptor Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music, the duo is marking this significant transition with the release of their new single, ‘Baby’.

The move toward independence represents a major shift for Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, who have been global powerhouses since their breakout in 2015. Reflecting on the transition, the duo shared their gratitude for their past team while expressing excitement for the future. In a recent statement, they noted, “After 11 amazing years, we are now independent artists. We are eternally grateful to our incredible team at Columbia/Disruptor for a decade plus of hard work that has resulted in unimaginable success. We have no idea what to expect for our next chapter but we are extremely excited to have fun and experiment with all our new music releases.”

A New Creative Direction

Since their initial rise to fame, the duo has accumulated billions of streams, Grammy wins, and countless festival headlining slots. Their partnership with former manager Adam Alpert began to wind down in 2025, leading to their final project under the previous deal, The Love Is Kind EP, released in May 2026. By going independent, the duo gains full creative control and ownership of their catalog, allowing for greater flexibility in their release schedule.

Alex Pall recently elaborated on the decision in a post, highlighting the importance of a fresh perspective: “We changed a lot of the team around The Chainsmokers recently, and it’s been interesting watching what happens when you bring in people who don’t have years of history around how everything’s ‘supposed’ to work. Sometimes it’s just time to shake things up, even when everything’s working fine, because a fresh perspective can find things you’d never think to look for.”

‘Baby’ and the Future

The debut release on their new label, ‘Baby’, features vocals from long-time collaborator Ilsey Juber. The track serves as an upbeat breakup anthem that blends modern production with a touch of the nostalgia that defined the duo’s early sound. With Ilsey Juber returning to the fold—having previously co-written hits like “Roses” and “All The Time”—the single feels like a natural, yet invigorated, step forward for the pair.