Panic! At The Disco Biography
The Pop-Rock, Alternative-Rock outfit Panic! At The Disco was formed in 2004 by four young sparkling musicians from Las Vegas, Nevada USA. Comprising vocalist Brendon Urie, lead guitarist Ryan Ross, bassist Brent Wilson and drummer Spencer Smith, the band was the first to sign with Decaydance Records, a Fueled By Ramen imprint label owned by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy.
Their first album, "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out", was released in September 2005 with the lead single, the Hot Modern Rock top 5 smash, "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage", displaying their unique blend of melody-driven Rock with electronic beats. The CD, which peaked at #12 on The Billboard 200 Albums chart, also featured the worldwide hit single, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", the track reached the #12 position on The Hot Modern Rock chart, peaked at #7 on The Billboard Hot 100, crashed the U.K. Top 40 and charted into the top 20 on the Australian ARIA chart. "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" was another Hot Modern Rock top 30 hit for the band in 2006; mid-way through that year Brent Wilson left the band in difficult circumstances to be replaced by bassist Jon Walker.
In March 2008, Panic! At The Disco released their long-awaited sophomore effort, "Pretty. Odd."; the album, quickly catapulted into the top 3 in the States, U.K. and Canada and hit #1 in Australia, but ultimately, it failed to equal its predecessor's platinum sales. The first single off the CD, "Nine In The Afternoon", peaked at #8 on The Hot Modern Rock chart and managed to enter the U.K. top 20 while the follow-up, "That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)" was widely ignored in the States and only semi-accepted in England.
In early July 2009, two members, or half of quirky Las Vegas scenesters,
decided to leave the group, creative differences forced the exit of Ryan
Ross and Jon Walker.
Singer Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith continued to operate as
Panic! At The Disco and just one month later the band released a new single,
"New Perspective", featured on Fueled By Ramen's soundtrack
to the sexy horror film "Jennifer's Body".
Urie and Smith issued a
new Panic! At The Disco album, "Vices & Virtues", in March 2011. The CD debuted at #7 on The Billboard 200 and #17 on the Top Canadian Albums chart; it included
the single "The Ballad Of Mona Lisa" which spent 18 weeks on The Alternative Rock chart peaking at #24.
The two musicians were joined by guitarist Ian Crawford and bassist Dallon Weekes for the subsequent promotional tour; Weeks later became a full-time member of the group.
Their fourth studio album, "Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die" arrived in October 2013 shooting to #2 on The Billboard 200 and to #8 on the Top Canadian Albums charts. The first single, "Miss Jackson", netted the group their fourth Hot Modern Rock top 10 hit.
