Panic! At the Disco: The Complete Band Story
Formation and Breakthrough (2004-2005)
Panic! At the Disco formed in 2004 in Las Vegas when childhood friends Ryan Ross (guitar) and Spencer Smith (drums) recruited Brent Wilson (bass) and Brendon Urie (vocals). Their demo caught Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz's attention, leading to a record deal. The exclamation mark in their name was inspired by the Name Taken song 'Panic'.
Debut Album Phenomenon (2006-2008)
Released in 2005, 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out' blended emo with electronic and cabaret elements. Singles 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies' and 'But It's Better If You Do' became MTV staples, propelling the album to double-platinum status. The band's elaborate Victorian-era stage shows defined their early identity.
Lineup Changes and Evolution (2009-2015)
After 2008's psychedelic-inspired 'Pretty. Odd.', founding members Ross and Jon Walker departed, leaving Urie and Smith as core members. Subsequent albums 'Vices & Virtues' (2011) and 'Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!' (2013) embraced pop-rock. Smith exited in 2015, making Urie the sole official member supported by touring musicians.
Solo Era and Mainstream Peak (2016-2022)
Urie reinvented the project with 2016's platinum 'Death of a Bachelor,' channeling Frank Sinatra-inspired pop. 2018's 'Pray for the Wicked' debuted at #1 on Billboard, featuring hits 'High Hopes' and 'Hey Look Ma, I Made It.' Despite branding as a solo act, Urie retained the band name for releases and tours.
Final Tours and Disbandment (2022-2023)
The 2022 'Viva Las Vengeance' album and tour featured openers including MARINA, Jake Wesley Rogers, and Beach Bunny. On January 24, 2023, Urie announced Panic!'s dissolution to focus on family life, stating: 'The prospect of doing this without my son feels impossible.'
Musical Legacy
Panic! At the Disco bridged emo, pop-punk, and theatrical pop, winning a Billboard Music Award and earning five Grammy nominations. Urie's four-octave vocal range and genre-blending experimentation cemented their status as 2000s-2020s innovators.
- Brent Wilson was fired mid-tour in 2006 for 'not learning bass parts,' replaced by Jon Walker
- Urie temporarily dropped the exclamation mark in 2009 (becoming 'Panic at the Disco'), reverting in 2011
- Controversy followed Urie's 2018 collaboration with rapper A$AP Rocky on 'One of the Drunks'
- The band's final show featured Urie smashing his microphone stand through the stage floor
