Skip to content
— CH. 1 · INTRODUCTION —

Panic! at the Disco

~10 min read · Ch. 1 of 8
8 sections
  • Panic! at the Disco was a Las Vegas band that began as a Blink-182 cover group rehearsing in a grandmother's living room and ended nearly two decades later as the sole domain of one man. Between those two points: a debut single certified diamond in the US, a tour featuring contortionists and ribbon dancers, a drummer's very public battle with addiction, and a final concert in Manchester, England. The questions worth following are: how does a band that had never performed a single live show land a record deal? And how does that same band survive the departure of nearly everyone who started it?

  • Ryan Ross and Spencer Smith both attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas and began playing music together in ninth grade. They pulled bassist Brent Wilson in from Palo Verde High School, and Wilson brought along his classmate Brendon Urie. The four initially rehearsed in Smith's grandmother's living room, and Ross handled lead vocals until the group heard Urie sing during practice and immediately handed the role to him.

    The band modeled its name after a line in a song called "Panic" by a group called Name Taken. Their goal was to sound lighter and more accessible than the heavier acts dominating Las Vegas at the time. That ambition was enough for them to sign a recording contract before they had ever played a live show, an unusual step that immediately attracted backlash online.

    The path to that contract ran through a LiveJournal account. Ross and Urie sent a demo to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz that way, and Wentz was in Los Angeles at the time finishing his own band's major-label debut, From Under the Cork Tree. He drove to Las Vegas after hearing "two to three" songs at a band practice, and he was impressed enough to make them the first signing on his new Decaydance Records imprint, a subsidiary of Fueled by Ramen. The deal closed around December 2004.

    Wentz wasted no time promoting them. He wore "Pete! at the Disco" shirts onstage, mentioned the band in interviews, and gave a public shout-out at a press event on the day before the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards: "Their record is going to be your next favorite record. It's called A Fever You Can't Sweat Out - get it before your little brother does." The internet audience was less generous. With only two songs online, strangers were already making assumptions about what kind of band they were.

  • Urie graduated in May 2005, and Wilson and Smith finished school online. The band then left for College Park, Maryland, to record their debut album from June through September of that year. They arrived with only partial songs and no days off. Ross described the pace as twelve to fourteen hours a day for five and a half weeks, with all four of them crammed into a one-bedroom apartment on bunk beds.

    Ross recalled that the pressure produced absurd tension: someone would write a new part for a song, and someone else would reject it not because it was bad but because that person had eaten their cereal that morning. Despite this, the record took a surprising structural shape. The first half leaned toward electronic dance punk. The second half shifted entirely, drawing on Vaudevillian piano, strings, and accordion. The inspiration came from film scores, specifically the work of composers Danny Elfman and Jon Brion.

    A Fever You Can't Sweat Out was released on the 27th of September 2005. Its first-week sales were nearly 10,000 copies, and it debuted at number 112 on the Billboard 200. Those numbers were modest. What changed everything was the second single. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" accelerated sales past the 500,000 mark within months, and the music video won Video of the Year at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. The album was eventually certified diamond in the US. The band's first live show had taken place only that summer, at a venue called The Alley on West Charleston in Las Vegas.

  • The Nothing Rhymes with Circus Tour, which launched in November 2006, was unlike most rock tours. Every song came with dance numbers, skits, and tricks performed by a six-member troupe. The band wore intricate costumes and loosely re-enacted moments from their songs onstage. Kelefa Sanneh, writing for The New York Times, observed: "There's something charming about watching a band trying to navigate sudden success, aided by a contortionist, a ribbon dancer and all the rest of it." In roughly one year, Panic! had moved from the opening slot on a five-band bill to headlining arena tours.

    The touring year of 2006 also included a jarring moment at the Reading Festival in August, when the band was met with excessive bottling from the crowd. One bottle hit Urie in the face and knocked him unconscious. He recovered and the band finished the set.

    Offstage, the original lineup was already fracturing. On the 17th of May 2006, the band announced that bassist Brent Wilson had left. Wilson later told MTV News that the firing came via a phone call, and that only Smith spoke while Urie and Ryan Ross listened silently on speakerphone without saying a word or apologizing. Smith's published response stated that the decision was based on Wilson's lack of musical progression and responsibility, and he revealed that Wilson had not actually written or played any bass on the debut album. Urie had recorded those parts. Wilson demanded a share of royalties and threatened legal action. He was replaced by Jon Walker.

  • In March 2007, the band retreated to a cabin in the mountains of Mount Charleston, Nevada, to begin writing what would become their second album. They initially called it Cricket & Clover. Songs like "Scarlet" and "It's True Love" were among those written. One track, "Nearly Witches", survived and was eventually placed on the third album, Vices & Virtues, in 2011. By August 2007, the band scrapped the entire project. Ross later said it was three-quarters finished.

    They started over, stripping the writing process down to a single acoustic guitar and a voice. Ross described this as catching up on a step they had skipped during the debut. In October 2007, they entered the Studio at the Palms inside the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas to record the new album. In January 2008, the band briefly dropped the exclamation point from their name.

    Pretty. Odd. was released on the 21st of March 2008. The band described it as more organic and mellower than the debut, and noted it had an unintentional similarity to the Beatles in both songwriting and scope. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with first-day sales of 54,000 and a first-week total of 139,000 copies. That beat the previous high-water mark held by A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, which had sold 45,000 in its best week. Barry Walters of Spin called the debut album "embarrassing" while praising Pretty. Odd. as daring "to be optimistically beautiful at a time when sadness and ugliness might have won them easier credibility."

    The tour in support of Pretty. Odd. was a visual inversion of the circus extravagance that came before. Each show used woodsy set pieces, projections of flora and fauna, and mic stands wrapped in lights and flowers. Each band member dressed in a vest. A live album, ...Live in Chicago, recorded during the Honda Civic Tour, was released on the 2nd of December 2008.

  • On the 6th of July 2009, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker announced via the band's website that they were leaving. Ross said he first raised the idea with Smith over lunch in late June 2009, and that Smith had been about to say the same thing. The creative divide was simple: Urie wanted a more polished pop direction, while Ross favored retro-inspired rock. Ross and Walker went on to form The Young Veins, which released one album called Take a Vacation! before going quiet.

    The day after the split announcement, it was reported that a new song, "New Perspective", written without Ross and Walker, would appear on the soundtrack to the film Jennifer's Body. Former members of the Cab and the Brobecks, Ian Crawford and Dallon Weekes, filled in for live shows during the Blink-182 Summer Tour in August 2009.

    Vices & Virtues, recorded solely by Urie and Smith in 2010 and produced by John Feldmann and Butch Walker, was released on the 22nd of March 2011. Weekes joined the official band lineup during this period, although he did not play on the album. His contribution was conceptualizing and appearing on the album's cover art, masked in the background behind Urie and Smith. Urie, during the Vices & Virtues Tour, told Spin he had been reading about Tesla coils and was trying to work out how to use one onstage without injuring anyone.

    On the 12th of May 2011, the band collaborated with indie pop band Fun. on an American tour and released a joint single called "C'mon". The band also contributed a song called "Mercenary" to the soundtrack for the video game Batman: Arkham City.

  • Before the band began touring in support of Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, released in October 2013, Smith wrote an open letter to fans disclosing that he had been struggling with alcohol and prescription medications since the recording of Pretty. Odd. He joined the first handful of tour dates, then left to address his addiction. Urie posted on the band's website on the 7th of August 2013 that the tour would continue without Smith while he got help. Dan Pawlovich of the band Valencia filled in on drums.

    On the 2nd of April 2015, Smith officially left the band. Weekes reverted to touring musician status around the same time. By the end of 2015, Panic! at the Disco was effectively Brendon Urie alone, making creative decisions with a team of writers.

    Death of a Bachelor arrived on the 15th of January 2016. The lead single, "Hallelujah", debuted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, the band's second-highest chart position at that point. In August 2016, the band released a cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" for the Suicide Squad soundtrack. On the 27th of December 2017, Weekes formally announced his departure from the band after more than eight years.

    Pray for the Wicked followed in June 2018. Its single "High Hopes" became the band's highest charting entry, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in fall 2018. In September 2018, Urie and the band dismissed touring guitarist Kenneth Harris following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct involving underage fans. His replacement, Mike Naran, formerly of Sparks the Rescue, was announced on the 6th of October 2018.

    Urie received the Key to the City of Las Vegas in 2019. That same year, Panic!'s recording of "Into the Unknown" appeared in the credits of the animated film Frozen II.

  • Viva Las Vengeance, the seventh studio album, was released on the 19th of August 2022. The lead-up included a teaser website called "Shut Up and Go to Bed" launched on the 14th of May 2022. The album's release day also brought a music video for a track called "Sad Clown". In October 2022, a 2016 song called "House of Memories" went viral on TikTok, prompting the band to re-release it along with slowed-down and sped-up versions.

    On the 24th of January 2023, Urie announced that he and his wife were expecting a child and that he would be ending Panic! at the Disco to focus on his family. The final show of the Viva Las Vengeance Tour took place on the 10th of March 2023 in Manchester, England.

    What came after the disbandment offered a partial reunion. On the 29th of October 2024, it was announced that Panic! would headline the When We Were Young festival on the 18th and the 19th of October 2025, performing A Fever You Can't Sweat Out in its entirety. On both nights of the festival, Spencer Smith joined Urie onstage to play drums for a second, closing performance of "I Write Sins Not Tragedies". The day after the festival, a 20th anniversary deluxe edition of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out was announced, and the 2006 live album Live in Denver was made available on vinyl and streaming for the first time.

Common questions

How did Panic! at the Disco get signed to a record label?

Ryan Ross and Brendon Urie sent a demo to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz via a LiveJournal account. Wentz drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas after hearing "two to three" songs at a band practice, and signed them to his Decaydance Records imprint around December 2004. The band had not yet performed a single live show at the time of signing.

What was Panic! at the Disco's biggest hit single?

"High Hopes" from the 2018 album Pray for the Wicked reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the band's highest charting single. The earlier single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" was certified diamond in the US and won Video of the Year at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.

Why did Panic! at the Disco break up?

On the 24th of January 2023, frontman Brendon Urie announced that he and his wife were expecting a child and that he would be disbanding Panic! at the Disco to focus on his family. The final show took place on the 10th of March 2023 in Manchester, England, at the conclusion of the Viva Las Vengeance Tour.

When did Ryan Ross leave Panic! at the Disco?

Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker announced their departure from Panic! at the Disco on the 6th of July 2009 via the band's official website. Ross cited creative differences with Brendon Urie, who favored a polished pop direction while Ross wanted to pursue retro-inspired rock. Ross and Walker subsequently formed The Young Veins.

How many studio albums did Panic! at the Disco release?

Panic! at the Disco released seven studio albums: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005), Pretty. Odd. (2008), Vices & Virtues (2011), Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013), Death of a Bachelor (2016), Pray for the Wicked (2018), and Viva Las Vengeance (2022).

What happened to Spencer Smith from Panic! at the Disco?

Spencer Smith, one of the band's founding members, disclosed before the Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! tour that he had been struggling with alcohol and prescription medications since the recording of Pretty. Odd. He left the touring lineup in 2013 and officially departed the band on the 2nd of April 2015. Smith briefly rejoined Urie onstage at the When We Were Young festival in October 2025.

All sources

234 references cited across the entry

  1. 5newsPanic! comes home to play House of BluesConor Shine — June 18, 2011
  2. 6magazinePanic! at the Disco: New FacesChristian Hoard — November 17, 2005
  3. 7webPanic! At the Disco – InterviewBrandon Herbel — November 11, 2005
  4. 8magazineArtist of the Day: Panic! at the DiscoEmily Zemler — October 3, 2005
  5. 9magazinePanic! At The Disco Frontman Moves ForwardValerie Nome — March 22, 2011
  6. 10webWho are Panic! at the Disco?September 1, 2006
  7. 11webPanic! AttackJuly 11, 2006
  8. 14webPanic! AttacksMike Kalil — October 28, 2005
  9. 15webTime to hit panic buttonCathy McCabe — October 5, 2006
  10. 16webFall Out Boy to lead Nintendo Fusion TourHerald-Journal staff reports — July 29, 2005
  11. 23newsA sudden Panic! has hit the worldGene Stout — December 1, 2006
  12. 27webThe Academy Is… at Academy 2 - 10/10Alex Davies — January 19, 2006
  13. 32webCircus troupe Panic! steals the limelightJoanna Horowitz — December 5, 2006
  14. 33newsRock 'n' Roll 'n' Circus, on Tour From Las VegasKelefa Sanneh — November 15, 2006
  15. 42webPanic At The Disco Drop The Exclamation Mark!!!Scott Colothan — January 11, 2008
  16. 46webPanic at the Disco riding high on CD salesJason Bracelin — April 3, 2008
  17. 48webPretty. Odd. – ReviewBarry Walters — March 22, 2008
  18. 54newsExclusive Video: Panic at the Disco's New DVDLarry Fitzmaurice — November 25, 2008
  19. 57webPanic at the Disco Get (Cough) 'Green'John Norris — May 9, 2008
  20. 61webThe Young Veins, 'Take a Vacation!' (One Haven)Barry Walters — June 8, 2010
  21. 62webThe Young Veins: Take a Vacation! ReviewRyan Reed — June 16, 2010
  22. 63webThe Young Veins' Take A Vacation!: The Joke's On YouJames Montgomery — March 13, 2010
  23. 64webRyan Ross And Jon Walker Quit Panic! At The DiscoTamar Anitai — July 6, 2009
  24. 67webListen: Panic at the Disco Release New SongAnna Hyclak — July 28, 2009
  25. 69webPanic! At The Disco bassist leaves bandSam Moore — December 28, 2017
  26. 70webWeekes' album cover conceptDallon Weekes — July 14, 2011
  27. 71magazinePanic! At The Disco Sets Mar. 29 Release for Vices & VirtuesJillian Mapes — January 19, 2011
  28. 74webPanic! At The Disco Line Up Vices & Virtues Tour DatesJames Montgomery — March 14, 2011
  29. 75webPreview: Panic! at the Disco Plot Spring TourVann Alexandra — March 14, 2011
  30. 76webSoundwave: Counter Revolution Line-up, Tickets and InfoBrayden Darke — August 26, 2011
  31. 78webExclusive: Panic!, fun. Collaborate on New SongWilliam Goodman — May 12, 2011
  32. 81webPanic! At The Disco Announce Fourth Studio AlbumPam Gocobachi — July 15, 2013
  33. 85newsBrendon Urie to release a solo album?Globo — Pure Fresh — September 23, 2014
  34. 87webSpencer Smith Officially Leaves Panic! at the DiscoEmily Carter — April 2, 2015
  35. 89webPanic! At The Disco release new song, "Hallelujah"Matt Crane — April 19, 2015
  36. 92webPanic! at the Disco Premiere New Song, Death of a BachelorEmily Carter — September 1, 2015
  37. 93magazinePanic! at the Disco Shares New Song 'Victorious' – BillboardChris Payne — September 29, 2015
  38. 99webPanic! At The Disco, Weezer announce co-headlining tourTyler Sharp — January 15, 2016
  39. 101webSuicide Squad Movie Soundtrack RevealedMolly Freeman — June 17, 2016
  40. 107webPanic! At The Disco Announce New Live AlbumRobin Murray — November 11, 2017
  41. 110magazineMeet Panic! at the Disco's New Bassist Nicole RowChris Payne — March 20, 2018
  42. 111magazinePanic! At The Disco introduce new bass playerNicole Rork — March 19, 2018
  43. 113magazinePanic! At The Disco announce massive U.S. tourMaggie Dickman — March 21, 2018
  44. 116magazinePanic! at the Disco Set to Perform at Game 5 of the Stanley Cup: ExclusiveMackenzie Cummings-Grady — June 6, 2018
  45. 119magazinePanic! at the Disco Share Gravity-Defying Video For 'High Hopes': WatchAlessandra Rincón — August 27, 2018
  46. 123webPanic! At the Disco Find Replacement GuitaristDevon Hannan — October 6, 2018
  47. 124newsHear Panic! at the Disco's 'Frozen 2' Song 'Into the Unknown'Emily Zemler — Rolling Stone — November 5, 2019
  48. 125newsListen to Panic! at the Disco perform Frozen 2 song 'Into the Unknown'Nick Romano — Entertainment Weekly — November 4, 2019
  49. 133magazinePanic! At The Disco Release New Track 'Local God'James Wilson-Taylor — August 5, 2022
  50. 138newsPanic! At The Disco announces Breakup! At The DiscoHattie Lindert — January 24, 2023
  51. 140magazinePanic! At The Disco Are Calling It A DayJack Rogers — January 24, 2023
  52. 145newsPanic! at the Disco review – emo pop for a teen rebellionMark Beaumont — January 13, 2016
  53. 148webPanic! At the Disco Vices & VirtuesTerry Bezer — March 28, 2011
  54. 149webNo need to Panic: Baroque pop band is better than everChristopher Treacy — May 12, 2008
  55. 150webPanic! At The Disco: 'Death of a Bachelor' Album ReviewMegan Savage — January 17, 2016
  56. 151webThe 10 best Panic! At The Disco songs according to Brendon UrieThea de Gallier — September 5, 2016
  57. 154web10 Alternative Bands That Switched Genres…and it Worked!Mark Beaumont — August 31, 2021
  58. 155newsPanic At the Disco split … in halfSean Michaels — July 7, 2009
  59. 156webPanic! at the Disco is ending after nearly two decadesKaitlyn Radde — January 24, 2023
  60. 158magazinePanic! at the DiscoEmily Zemler — October 3, 2005
  61. 160newsPanic! At The DiscoAndrew Murfett — October 6, 2006
  62. 162journalIcons: The Rock Stars That Changed Your WorldBauer Media Group — March 4, 2006
  63. 167instagramThis weekend will forever live in my heart.Laurann Angel — 2025-10-21
  64. 168webProfile - Bartram NasonNoah Gardenswartz — November 8, 2006
  65. 170webMeet Adrian HibbsAugust 12, 2020
  66. 172newsRock 'n' Roll 'n' Circus, on Tour From Las VegasKelefa Sanneh — November 15, 2006
  67. 173webPanic! At The Disco Line Up Vices & Virtues Tour DatesJames Montgomery — March 14, 2011
  68. 175webPanic! at the Disco at The Woodlands, 8/19/2014Cynthia Woods et al. — August 20, 2014
  69. 176magazinePanic! At The Disco announce The Gospel Tour with Walk The MoonMatt Crane — February 24, 2014
  70. 178magazineHere's the full Panic! At The Disco 'Pray For The Wicked' tour setlistRachel Campbell — January 11, 2019
  71. 183magazineThe Academy Is… announce "Truckstops And Statelines" tourNicole Rork — November 30, 2005
  72. 185webBlink-182 Tour Openers Possibly More Excited Than You AreJames Montgomery et al. — May 20, 2009
  73. 188magazineHere Are All the Winners From the 2018 AMAsTaylor Weatherby — October 9, 2018
  74. 191magazineBillboard Music Awards 2019: See the full list of winnersLexi Vollero — May 1, 2019
  75. 192magazine2020 Billboard Music Awards Winners: Complete ListKatie Atkinson — October 14, 2020
  76. 194webPanic At The DiscoNovember 19, 2019
  77. 196magazineHere Are All the Winners From the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2019Denise Warner — March 14, 2019
  78. 197web2018 MTV EMA Winners: See The Full ListMadeline Roth — November 4, 2018
  79. 198web2019 MTV EMA Winners: See The Full ListMadeline Roth — November 3, 2019
  80. 199webHere are all the winners from the MTV EMAs 2022Ellie Robinson — November 14, 2022
  81. 203web2006 MTV Video Music Award NominationsScott Lapatine — July 31, 2006
  82. 204webTop 10 Panic! At the Disco SongsBill Lamb — November 30, 2017
  83. 206magazineVMAs 2016: See the Full List of WinnersAugust 28, 2016
  84. 207magazineMTV VMAs 2018 Complete Winners ListKatie Atkinson — August 20, 2018
  85. 208magazineHere Are All the Winners From the 2019 MTV VMAsDenise Warner — August 26, 2019
  86. 211webMTV VMAs 2023 Nominees Announced: See the Full List HereNina Corcoran — August 8, 2023
  87. 214webTeen Choice Awards Winners 2018: See the Full ListAshley Iasimone — August 12, 2018
  88. 215magazineTeen Choice Awards 2019: See the Complete List of WinnersEric Todisco — August 11, 2019
  89. 222webParty time at MTV Asia Awards 2008Zack Yusof — August 4, 2008
  90. 223magazineAnd the nominees are...May 4, 2011
  91. 225magazineHere are all the 2015 APMAs nominees!March 31, 2015
  92. 226magazineRock Sound Readers' Poll Results: Video of the YearAndy Biddulph — December 31, 2015
  93. 227magazineHere's a list of winners from the 2016 APMAsRabab Al-Sharif — July 18, 2016
  94. 228magazineHere's a list of winners from the 2016 APMAs (part 2)Rabab Al-Sharif — July 18, 2016
  95. 230webPeople's Choice Awards 2017: Full List Of NomineesNuzhat Naoreen — November 15, 2016
  96. 233magazineVote now in the Kerrang! Awards 2019April 24, 2019
  97. 235magazineBrendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco Gets Key to Las VegasMichael Silver — April 30, 2019