Debuting at No 1 is certainly an accomplishment, but bumping artists such as David Bowie and Adele down the music charts has Panic! at the Disco’s Brendon Urie simply gobsmacked.
“That’s insane. I mean, to be in the same sentence as anyone like that – I’m not worthy,” he says. “I was just floored.”
Death of a Bachelor, released last month, topped the Billboard 200 chart and sold 190,000 equivalent albums in its first week, according to Nielsen Music.
The fifth album is the first chart-topper for the rockers, who began as a four-piece, of which Urie is the only remaining original member. But the 28-year-old vocalist is loving life as a solo act. He co-wrote the album’s songs and plays most of the instruments on the pop-rock project.
“It’s amazing, because I don’t have to compromise or I don’t have to argue as much,” he says.
He explains the creation of Death of a Bachelor and his eclectic inspirations, from Beyoncé to Frank Sinatra.
What did you think when you heard you knocked Bowie’s album from the top spot?
I’m conflicted about it. I’m happy, but man, just losing a legend, yeah, I mean, that’s unreal but I’m glad that at least I had a chance to pop in there, get on people’s radar. David Bowie had so many hits, too; it’s not like I’m hurting his career by any means.
How confident were you about your solo debut?
There’s always nerves when you’re releasing something. These are all very personal to me. Every song is autobiographical. It’s about something I experienced or want to experience, so it’s all very close to my heart.
Who were some of your inspirations on the album?
Queen and Bruce Springsteen. There's a pretty good, in my opinion, a good mash-up of Beyoncé and Sinatra on the title track. I wrote the song actually trying to make a Sinatra song and then I hit this wall, just writing-wise, where I was getting so frustrated. So I took a break from it and went back to this beat I had worked on, like, months before and it kind of had this Drunk in Love Beyoncé-kind of feel. It was just like a happy accident.
Has Beyoncé heard the track?
I wonder. I doubt it, but I would love to show her [and say]: “You inspired this, Queen B!”
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