The Chainsmokers to be first musicians to perform at the edge of space

The Chainsmokers are set to become the first musicians to perform at the edge of space. 

Members Drew Taggart and Alex Pall will climb into a pressurised capsule tied to a stratospheric balloon for a one-off show 20miles high, giving them a unique perspective on Earth thanks to a partnership with space tourism operator World View. The company is among the growing list of firms operating trips to the stars, which also includes Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Space X. 

Company founder, Ryan Hartman, told Associated Press he hopes more artists will make the journey in the near future, explaining it might “inspire them to do something different.” 

“We think about inspiring new perspectives and how those new perspectives can lead to a radically improved future for our Earth,” he continued. “To be able to reach the audience of The Chainsmokers through Alex and Drew’s work contributes to our mission as well. It’s something that I’m personally inspired by and excited about.”

“We have always dreamed of going to space and are stoked to collaborate with World View to have this adventure and experience,” The Chainsmokers said in a statement. “We know the views of both Earth and space are going to be incredible and inspiring and we hope to leverage this flight for creativity on future projects.”

According to World View, The Chainsmokers were chosen due to the broad appeal of their music which “reaches a lot of different groups” and the US EDM duo’s passion for their work. The flight will last between six and 12 hours, and is set to be one of the operator’s first trips in 2024. It will involve a capsule designed to seat eight passengers and capable of reaching altitudes of 30,480 metres, or 100,000 feet. Plans are in place to record the set, which will be shared with fans when the duo land on solid ground.

In 2017, Paul Oakenfold played a DJ set at what was described as the ‘Highest Party On Earth’, spinning tracks from Mount Everest’s Base Camp in support of charity. A documentary about the event was released last year.