The song was written by Andrew Taggart, Ashley Frangipane, Shaun Frank, Freddy Kennett, Isaac Slade and Joe King, while the production was handled by The Chainsmokers.
The song was released on July 29, 2016, through Disruptor Records and Columbia Records.
In the United States, "Closer" became both The Chainsmokers' and Halsey's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100.
Musically it is an EDM song with a "retro" style synthesizer in the chorus.
The song stayed at the top spot for 12 consecutive weeks.