Questions
When and where did Panic! at the Disco form?
The band formed in 2004 in Summerlin, a community in Las Vegas, Nevada. High school friends Ryan Ross and Spencer Smith started it and recruited classmates Brendon Urie and Brent Wilson.
Where did the name Panic! at the Disco come from?
The name reportedly came from a line in the song ’Panic’ by the band Name Taken.
Who discovered the band?
Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy found them through a demo they submitted on LiveJournal. Reportedly he was impressed after hearing only a few songs at their practice, even though they had never played a live show yet.
What label did they sign to?
Wentz signed them to his new label, Decaydance Records, making them the first act on the label.
What was their first album and when did it come out?
Their debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, was released on September 27, 2005.
What is their most famous song?
’I Write Sins Not Tragedies,’ the second single from their debut, became a massive hit and earned diamond certification in the United States. The album itself reached quadruple platinum.
How intense was recording the debut album?
It was reportedly grueling. Ross recalled they had no days off in five and a half weeks, working 12 or 14 hours a day while sharing cramped quarters.
Why did the exclamation point disappear from their name?
In January 2008 they dropped it and went by ’Panic at the Disco’ during the Pretty. Odd. era. They brought the exclamation point back in July 2009 after Ross and Walker left.
What happened to original bassist Brent Wilson?
Wilson was fired in 2006, reportedly by a phone call, and was replaced by Jon Walker.
Why did Ryan Ross leave the band?
Ross and Jon Walker left in 2009 over creative differences and went on to form the band The Young Veins.
How did Panic! become basically a solo project?
After Spencer Smith stepped back around 2013 and officially left in 2015, Panic! at the Disco effectively became Brendon Urie’s solo project. Dallon Weekes officially departed in 2017 after eight years.
What was their highest-charting single?
’High Hopes,’ released in 2018, became their highest-charting single, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Is the band still together?
Brendon Urie disbanded Panic! at the Disco on January 24, 2023, to focus on his growing family, with the final tour wrapping in March 2023. The band briefly reunited in October 2025 to headline the When We Were Young festival.
What did Brendon Urie do to help fund the early band?
Urie reportedly worked at a Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Summerlin to help pay for the band’s practice space, and he sang for tips while working there.
