Panic! At The Disco's Brendon Urie on releasing new music: "If I had to guess, I’d say this year"

In a recent interview with Billboard, Panic! At The Disco's Brendon Urie revealed that if he had to pinpoint a timeline, the band will be releasing new music within the next year. 

He also touched on the recent departure of drummer Spencer Smith, saying, “I love him so much, even as a friend, but having him make that decision for himself… I'm really proud of him. To come out and be so confident telling people, 'Hey, this is what I need to do.'”

Video: Watch Panic! At The Disco cover AC/DC and Journey at a rodeo

You can read a few excerpts from the interview below. Are you stoked to hear new Panic! material?

In 2014, Brendon Urie spoke exclusively to AltPress on Smith's state at that time: “I talk to him periodically, but, honestly, I haven’t talked to him in a little bit. The last time I talked to him, he told me he was doing good. I guess the most you can do is take someone’s word for it. I think it’s going okay. I know when [he entered rehab] it was really tough for me even to have to admit, 'Hey, this is crazy.' The fact that he took that step to do that is pretty amazing. Not a lot of people would do that; they would just give up at a certain point. But he was like, 'No, no, no. I understand. I need to go. I need to get some help. I need to work on myself.' He’s continuing to do that.”

This will be one of your first shows since Spencer Smith officially left. I know you've been playing without him for some time, but is it going to feel different now that it's really over?

Yeah, it is. I love him so much, even as a friend, but having him make that decision for himself… I'm really proud of him. To come out and be so confident telling people, “Hey, this is what I need to do.” We've played without him for a while, but this will be one of the first since he officially left. I think it will be fun. The fans are always very supportive, so that makes it a lot easier.

Speaking of which, are you working on new stuff?

Always. I've really never stopped writing. I'm picking through demos that I'd been working on for the last couple of years. Every day I'm writing something. I write an idea a day. Even if it's 10 seconds of a melody or a lyric. I love it too much to not work. It would drive me crazy to not do anything.

Do you think we'll see new Panic music within this year or next? If you had to guess.

If I had to guess, I'd say this year.