Four guys in Las Vegas got together and started playing music. First a Blink-182 cover band, they rehearsed in the drummer’s grandmother’s living room before making their own music. One member spammed the internet with their demos, and eventually Pete Wentz caved in and listened, prepared to tell these pests that the songs sucked. Instead, the Fall Out Boy bassist — in Los Angeles recording From Under The Cork Tree at the time — was in awe and drove down to Sin City to sign the group to his label. Thus began Panic! At The Disco, whose 19-year career had one of the bleakest arcs in recent history.

A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out — their first album, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Upon the record’s release, a Pitchfork review gave it a degrading 1.5 and Cory D. Byrom lamented, “It’s sad that this is what emo has become.” But it’s also the most popular emo would ever get.

Four guys in Las Vegas got together and started playing music. First a Blink-182 cover band, they rehearsed in the drummer’s grandmother’s living room before making their own music. One member spammed the internet with their demos, and eventually Pete Wentz caved in and listened, prepared to tell these pests that the songs sucked. Instead, the Fall Out Boy bassist — in Los Angeles recording From Under The Cork Tree at the time — was in awe and drove down to Sin City to sign the group to his label. Thus began Panic! At The Disco, whose 19-year career had one of the bleakest arcs in recent history.

A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out — their first album, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Upon the record’s release, a Pitchfork review gave it a degrading 1.5 and Cory D. Byrom lamented, “It’s sad that this is what emo has become.” But it’s also the most popular emo would ever get.