For fans, especially die-hard ones, the disbandment of their favorite band is a devastating and gut-wrenching piece of news as the band that carried them throughout their childhood and has been with them through difficult times no longer produces new material. However, in rare circumstances, even mega fans approve of certain bands calling it quits as they have been outed for their unacceptable actions and behavior over the years in the music industry.
Panic! at the Disco‘s frontman Brendon Urie, falls in the category where fans were more than thrilled by the announcement of the band breaking up and his decision to walk away from his career in the public eye. At the beginning of this year, the singer announced that he had decided to focus on his family and say goodbye to the band. Why are fans not disappointed with his decision? Let’s dive into the allegations and controversies that have been circling around the frontman for several years.
Everything started in the summer of 2020 when Breezy Weekes, wife of Panic! At The Disco bass player Dallon Weekes, accused the band’s bodyguard Zack Hall of sexual harassment. After the news spread, everyone was waiting for Urie’s response; however, the frontman failed to take action immediately, and even though he later notified everyone that he had fired Hall, nonetheless, he remained friends.
All of this led Twitter users to start accusing Urie of sexual misconduct and assault allegations ranging from people coming out with stories of him inappropriately touching underage fans to sharing nudes without permission. When Brendon didn’t respond to stories that had surfaced, the hashtag’ #BrendonUrieSpeakUp’ began to trend.
If this wasn’t enough, the years’ prior fan footage of an unidentified Panic! At The Disco concert circled around where the then 35-year-old singer made improper comments to the audience. Even though this video was from 2011, many fans still criticized the frontman as it alludes to raping fans, which are more than likely teenage girls.
Brendon Urie’s words in the resurfaced video read:
“If I see you after the show, I will f*ck you. I don’t care if you want it. I care more if you don’t want it. Because then I really want it.”
In addition to sexual assault allegations, there was also racist and transphobic slur that resurfaced, which made fans question Urie even more. In another concert moment, the singer used racist words to a crowd of his fans and was caught using a transphobic slur, ‘trannie’ in a YouTube video clip.
Urie’s words in the mentioned concert read:
“I wish I was born Black, so I could wear the clothes I wear without getting made fun of.”
With all these allegations and proof that Urie did and said, those things trended on TikTok. Although the singer tried to ignore everything that had surfaced about his name, the fans wouldn’t let it go. Even though amid this drama that was taking over the Internet, the band had gotten to a point where it almost became a solo project for Brendon was releasing albums left and right. So much so that 2018’s ‘Pray for the Wicked’ housed the highest-charting single, ‘High Hopes’ the band had ever seen.
The success, however, couldn’t overshadow Urie to stay canceled in the eyes of his fans, which ultimately resulted in the frontman’s announcement to disband. Many fans are delighted with the outcome as it was time for Brendon to take a step back and not stain the Panic! at the Disco legacy any further.
#BrendonUrieSpeakUp haven't liked him since he said this pic.twitter.com/NNxGuUjkk6
— m (@nctyday) August 13, 2020
