d multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith, following the departure of lead guitarist, backing vocalist and primary lyricist Ryan Ross and bassist/backing vocalist Jon Walker in July 2009. The album's artwork was conceptualized by touring bassist Dallon Weekes, who was inducted as a full-time member of the band near the end of recording.[2] While Walker and Ross' exit left a hole in the Panic! songwriting regime, the experience became the catalyst for Urie deciding to take over as the band's principal songwriter. The lyrics touch on themes of manipulation and confusion. Vices & Virtues took over two years to create, and the increased time in the studio brought forth new musical experimentation. Upon release, the album received somewhat mixed, but overall positive, reviews. Critics praised the album's wide variety of musical stylings, while criticism was aimed at the compositional simplicity and Urie's verbose lyricism. Preceded by its lead single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa", the album

debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 selling 56,000 copies within its first week. Contents 1 Background 2 Recording and production 3 Music 4 Promotion 5 Release 6 Critical reception 7 Vices & Virtues tour 8 Uses in media 9 Track listing 10 Personnel 10.1 Production 11 Charts and certifications 11.1 Weekly charts 11.2 Year-end charts 11.3 Certifications 12 Release history 13 References 14 External links

Background Material for a follow-up to Pretty. Odd. dates back to at least April 2008, just one month after the release of the record. Former guitarist and primary songwriter Ryan Ross told NME the band had "nine or ten new songs going right now," which picked up in the same direction of Pretty. Odd.[3] "It was pretty much the same with the last record," bassist Jon Walker said. "We haven't stopped writing songs since we stopped recording Pretty. Odd., because we have a lot to write about [...] It's sounding 'pretty awesome,' which is probably what we're going to call the next record," Ross joked.[4] "We've got quite a few new ideas and songs we've been working on, and we're hoping to record some of that stuff by the end of the year."[4] The article explained that Walker said the band would be taking time off for the holidays and then re-entering the studio to record new music.[4] In June 2009, singer Brendon Urie revealed the band had been writing for "roughly half a year now" at Ross' Topanga Canyon, Calif