Latest Release
- APR 7, 2023
- 18 Songs
- The Very Best of Kiss · 1979
- Dressed to Kill · 1975
- 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss · 1976
- Lick It Up · 1983
- Animalize · 1984
- Kiss · 1974
- Alive! · 1975
- The Very Best of Kiss · 1977
- The Very Best of Kiss · 1976
- Rock and Roll Over · 1976
Essential Albums
- Releasing two albums a year wasn’t uncommon in the 1970s—which is why the second album from Kiss hit the shelves just eight months after the band’s 1974 debut. Often knocked for lackluster production—a criticism acknowledged by co-producer Richie Wise—Hotter Than Hell contains some of the band’s most inspired and effective songwriting. Propelled by a chunky metallic groove, “Parasite” is the heaviest song from the first three Kiss albums. Like “Cold Gin,” a highlight from the band’s debut, “Parasite” was written by guitarist Ace Frehley—but sung by bassist Gene Simmons, as Frehley wasn’t yet confident of his vocal abilities. Elsewhere on Hotter Than Hell, there’s “Goin’ Blind”—a unique entry in the band’s catalog, in that it’s the only true downer Kiss song. Written by Simmons and his former Wicked Lester bandmate Stephen Coronel, the lyrics depict the doomed relationship between a 93-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl. Covered in the 1990s by both the Melvins and Dinosaur Jr., “Goin’ Blind” remains a moody favorite among grunge-reared Kiss fans. Meanwhile, the album’s title track—written by Paul Stanley after being turned down by a married woman—is an undisguised rewrite of Free’s “All Right Now,” one that kicks like a mule. The album’s sole single, “Let Me Go, Rock and Roll,” has a distinct ZZ Top vibe (Stanley recorded a demo of the song for the previous album, but it didn’t make the cut). And “Watchin’ You” is a classically lecherous and catchy Simmons composition, propelled by a muscular riff and some prominent Peter Criss cowbell. It’s a template that Simmons would often revisit—minus the cowbell. It’s Criss who winds up with vocal duties on “Mainline,” a breezy Stanley composition that’s by far the poppiest song on the album. The drummer also sings the Frehley stomper “Strange Ways,” Hotter than Hell’s closing track. With a city-smashing riff that presages Blue Öyster Cult’s “Godzilla,” it proved early on that Kiss could deliver serious hard-rock goods.
- 2020
- 2020
- 2020
Artist Playlists
- It's time to rock, soldier. You're being recruited into the Kiss Army.
- You can almost feel the heat from the pyro.
- They're the offspring of early metal, glam, and shock rock.
- Listen to the hits performed on the blockbuster tour.
- The hard rockers creep into prog, post-grunge, and symphonic pop.
- Want to rock 'n' roll all night, and party every day? Here's your soundtrack.
Singles & EPs
Appears On
- Ace Frehley
- Gene Simmons
- Paul Stanley
- Peter Criss
More To Hear
- At OWSLA's pop-up with Aryay, Softest Hard, and Getter.
About Kiss
Kiss’ 1975 breakthrough live album, Alive!, starts with a bold proclamation: “You wanted the best, and you got it—the hottest band in the land!” In the hands of other acts, such an announcement would be considered over-the-top braggadocio. But since emerging from New York City in the early '70s, Kiss have backed up each and every one of their hyperbolic statements with hard-rockin’ receipts. That’s largely due to the efforts of the group’s Lennon and McCartney, vocalist/bassist Gene Simmons and vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley, who pair flamboyant stage makeup and space-age costumes with brilliant songs. Their early sound—a formidable combination of bluesy heavy metal and glittery glam pop—gave way to power ballads (“Beth”), disco jams (“I Was Made for Lovin’ You”), glossy MTV rock (“Tears Are Falling”), and even polarizing prog (1981’s sprawling Music from “The Elder” LP). And though their music (and their lineup) has changed across the decades, the overall Kiss experience has remained remarkably consistent. It’s not just that the band had the foresight to copyright their elaborate face makeup—they’re marketing wizards who transformed iconic looks into an eternally cool global brand. But Kiss also have high standards, which ensures that they’re always delivering a flawless, crowd-pleasing live spectacle. The band’s official farewell tour, launched in 2019, was an extended affair featuring every classic Kiss move—an impressive stage production, Simmons’ blood-spitting, extensive pyro—and an arsenal of hits, enticing new recruits into the Kiss Army right until the very end.
- ORIGIN
- New York, NY, United States
- FORMED
- January 1973
- GENRE
- Hard Rock