Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Kiss discography
Cataloging of published recordings by Kiss From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
The American rock band Kiss has released 20 studio albums (24 counting the unified 1978 solo albums), 13 live albums, 2 extended play and 67 singles. Formed in New York City in 1973, the group initially consisted of bassist Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and drummer Peter Criss; this most recognizable and successful lineup lasted until Criss' departure in 1980. The band is known for its makeup and on-stage antics, which influenced many artists who later used similar effects in their concerts. Stanley and Simmons were the only members to feature on every studio and live album during their entire run.
The band's eponymous debut album, released in 1974, did not have a hit single and rose only as high as 87 on Billboard, despite significant touring and promotion.[1] The follow-up album, Hotter Than Hell (1974), was a bigger disappointment, peaking at 100 and quickly dropping off the charts. It rebounded in Canada peaking at number 29 in June 1976.[1] Dressed to Kill, released in 1975, was a much bigger success, breaking into the top 40, but the band's record label, Casablanca Records, was close to bankruptcy and needed a commercial breakthrough. This would later be achieved with both Kiss' and Casablanca's first top-10 album, the double live album Alive!, which featured the number 12 hit "Rock and Roll All Nite".[1][2] The next three albums, Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, and Love Gun were successful, achieving Platinum status and spawning Top-20 singles (including the number 7 ballad "Beth", the band's highest-charting single in the US).[1][2]
Their seventh studio release, Dynasty, while being a musical departure, was a global success, thanks largely to the worldwide hit, "I Was Made for Lovin' You". The next three albums, Unmasked, Music from "The Elder" and Creatures of the Night, were domestic commercial failures, even as the band maintained popularity in many other parts of the world. Lick It Up was the first album featuring the band without makeup and was certified gold. Their next studio releases (Animalize; Asylum; Crazy Nights; Smashes, Thrashes & Hits) were more successful and Kiss recaptured some of their earlier glory (though not to the level of their 1970s heyday). Hot in the Shade was the lowest charting album of the unmasked era in the US, despite the success of the top-10 power ballad "Forever".[2]
With their 16th studio release, Revenge, Kiss attempted to modernize their sound for the 1990s with heavier songs. The album initially charted at number 6 on the Billboard 200,[1] and quickly reached Gold status in the US.[2] 1997's Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions was released after the reunion tour and did not receive much promotion. It has yet to be certified Gold in the US despite the album's lone single "Jungle" reaching number 8 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[2] Followed by a highly successful reunion, in 1998 Psycho Circus was released and was a moderate success. Their first album in 11 years, Sonic Boom, was released in 2009.[1] The band released their 20th and final studio album, Monster, on October 9, 2012.[3] To date, Kiss has had 25 million copies certified by the RIAA in the United States.[4] The band has 30 gold albums as of July 2015.
The Kiss discography also includes a large number of unofficial bootleg releases.[5] Most of them are live performances—audience recordings, radio broadcasts or soundboard recordings—but there are also unofficial releases featuring unreleased studio recordings.[6] Some bootlegs are known to include fake "Kiss" songs recorded by other bands.[7]
Remove ads
Albums
Studio albums
1978 solo albums
Live albums
Instant Live album series
Compilation albums
Box sets
Remove ads
Extended plays
Singles
- A ^ The single was first released with "Dirty Livin'" as the A-side and "Sure Know Something" as the B-side when it reached no. 25, and later released with "Sure Know Something" as the A-side and "Dirty Livin'" as the B-side.
The singles "Beth" and "I Was Made for Lovin' You" have been certified Gold by the RIAA and CRIA.[54][55] The single "Psycho Circus" has been certified Gold by the IFPI Sweden.[56]
'78 solo singles
Remove ads
Other appearances
Album appearances
Unreleased on album
- 2015: Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery - "Don't Touch My Ascot"
Remove ads
Videography
Summarize
Perspective
Video albums
Films
TV series
In 2010 Love theme from KISS appeared in the movie Somewhere, directed by Sofia Coppola.
- Kiss in the 1998 Millennium episode "...Thirteen Years Later", both as the band and as other characters out of makeup.
- Kiss was also featured in the Family Guy episodes "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" and "Road to Europe".
- In 2002, Kiss filmed a music video with the cast of the popular sitcom That '70s Show to announce that the show was going into syndication. The half-hour special showed behind the scenes of the making of the video. The half-hour special, called That '70s Kiss Show, aired on VH1.
- Gene Simmons makes a cameo appearance in the 2008 movie Detroit Metal City (a live action adaptation of the manga of the same name) as Jack ill Dark, a legendary Black metal guitarist from the United States.
- Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley appeared as themselves in the 2009 Fairly OddParents episode "Wishology Part 1: The Big Beginning."
- Kiss appeared on the season finale of American Idol in 2009 and 2014 during results shows in which they performed with Adam Lambert and Caleb Johnson.
- Gene Simmons appears as himself on the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode "Long Road Home".
- Gene Simmons makes an appearance on Castle, in the episode "To Love and Die in L.A." as a friend of the murder victim whose case Castle and Beckett investigate.
- Gene Simmons appears as himself on Angie Tribeca episode "Inside Man" in 2016.
- They also appear in an episode of What's New, Scooby-Doo? performing as themselves, they later appeared in the Scooby-Doo movie Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery.
- Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley appear in the 2016 comedy film Why Him? as themselves.
- In 1976 Kiss appeared in The Paul Lynde Halloween Special as themselves.
- In 1998, Kiss appeared on the Mad TV Halloween special, performing comedy skits, but not singing.
Music videos
Lyric videos
Remove ads
Tribute albums
Remove ads
See also
Notes
- Chart position is from the official UK "Breakers List".
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads