Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie (lead vocals, guitar, piano) and Spencer Smith (drums). Former members Ryan Ross (guitar) and Jon Walker (bass) left the group in 2009. The band has been described by critics as a variety of genres, most commonly pop punk, alternative rock, and baroque pop.
The band formed and recorded their first demos while they were all still in high school. Shortly after, the band recorded and released their debut studio album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005). Made known by the top ten lead single "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies", the album eventually was certified double platinum and met with much success. The group then wrote and recorded their second record, Pretty. Odd., released in 2008. Marked as a drastic change in tone from their debut, it oversold commercial expectations but was met with critical success.
The band released their third album, entitled Vices & Virtues, on March 22, 2011,while the record's first single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa", was released February 1, 2011.
Musical style
Music critics named a number of different genres to describe Panic! at the Disco's music, including emo, pop punk, electro, vaudeville, and baroque pop.These labels were more of a reflection of the band's work on A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, as the stylistic shift on Pretty. Odd. made many of these claims insignificant.
Panic! at the Disco went on record many times saying that their second album would be completely different from A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, as Rolling Stone wrote in an article: "The group cemented its next direction with their first single, called "Nine in the Afternoon". "It's influenced by the music our parents listened to: the Beach Boys, The Kinks, the Beatles", says Ross. "Our new songs are more like classic rock than modern rock. We got older and started listening to different music – and this seems like the natural thing to do right now." Pretty. Odd. has been described as being like "[Panic] dropping the entire Beatles catalog into a blender, adding some modern alternative ice and the horn section from Sonia Dada, then churning out a new-millennium Liverpool smoothie."In his review of their live album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted, "...Pretty. Odd. suggests that they're becoming that rare thing in 2008: a pop-oriented rock band. They might not be doing this knowingly, but the results are entertaining all the same."
Since the release of Vices & Virtues, the band's musical sensibilities have returned to the theatrical pop rock of their debut, albeit more mature and restrained in the style of Pretty. Odd. Urie has gone on record several times claiming that this was not the band's intention, stating that Virtues is a rebirth for the band and indicative of a new identity following the departures of Ross and Walker.
Band members
- Current members
- Brendon Urie – lead vocals, guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, piano (2004–present)
- Spencer Smith – drums, percussion (2004–present)
- Current touring
- Ian Crawford – lead guitar, backing vocals (2009–present)
- Dallon Weekes – bass guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals (2009–present)
- Former members
- Ryan Ross – vocals, lead guitar, keyboards (2004–2009)
- Jon Walker – bass guitar, guitars, backing vocals (2006–2009)
- Brent Wilson – bass guitar (2004–2006)
- Former touring
- Eric Ronick – keyboards, backing vocals, percussion (2006–2008)
- Bartram Nason – cello, keyboards, electronic drums, percussion (2006–2007)
- Bradley Potter – lead guitar, backing vocals (2006)
Discography
- A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005)
- Pretty. Odd. (2008)
- Vices & Virtues (2011)
