When Panic! At the Disco first started playing in Atlanta, they mostly played the Tabernacle to at most 2,600 people. On their visit to Atlanta in 2018 for their Pray for the Wicked Tour, they played the Infinite Energy Arena to 13,000 people.
Even after 15 years, every album they release continues to top the charts, experimenting with several musical styles and genres, and three of the four original members leaving.
Panic! At the Disco’s first album “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” was released in September of 2005 and is regarded as one of the most musically ambitious debut albums as it heavily divided critics at the time. The album is noted for its long, rambling titles, such as “Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” and “London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines.”
With often sexually-charged lyrics and alternative rock meets cabaret style, it is safe to say that this album was a genre in itself. It continues to be loved by many as it has since gone triple platinum in the wake of the success of their most recent albums.
Savannah Rogers, a 20-year-old Georgia State student and Panic! At the Disco fan, describes her first time hearing their beloved first hit, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”.
“I don’t really remember when I first heard the song, actually,” Rogers said. “I was probably in the sixth grade or maybe earlier. I remember thinking it was catchy, but I didn’t know who it was by at the time.”
Another fan and student, Paul Tuemler, fondly describes his first experience with the band.
“The first song I heard was ‘Build God Then We’ll Talk’ in 2005,” Tuemler said. “It was a song I felt like I could dance to down the street. It was so exciting and confident.”
Many attribute the Panic! At the Disco’s continued success to lead singer Brendon Urie’s social media presence and their experimental nature.
“The music is made to appeal to a wide audience while also being a little bit more original than the typical pop on the radio,” Rogers said. “So, [Urie is] keeping a lot of the old fans from back then while also gaining new ones that wouldn’t have necessarily liked the older songs.”
Many noted how the style of their second album “Pretty. Odd” (2008) was reminiscent of The Beatles. After the departure of lead guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker, “Vices and Virtues” (2011) went back to the band’s theatrical rock roots with a little more of a pop spin.
“Too Weird to Live Too Rare to Die” (2013) went in a more electronic direction and marked the last album featuring drummer Spencer Smith. “Death of a Bachelor” (2016) showcases Urie’s stellar skills as a singer, specifically in the title track with his Sinatra-like vocals.
The chart-topping release of last year’s “Pray for the Wicked” was divisive for many fans as it was far more pop and mainstream than any other album. Rogers did not particularly care for the record, but Tuemler did enjoy it.
“I really liked the newest album, but it was very pop,” Tuemler said.
The slight division among fans regarding the current direction of the band, however, has not made a dent in their success. Albums then and now are loved by millions of fans, and the band’s continuing evolution will contribute to successes to come.
