KISS

KISS are an American hard rock band formed in New York City in 1973 by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. The band became famous not only for its riff-driven, arena-ready rock but for its elaborate visual identity: painted kabuki-inspired face makeup, fire-breathing, blood-spitting, and pyrotechnic-heavy stage shows that turned their concerts into theatrical spectacles.

Musically, KISS built its catalog on anthemic hard rock and glam-tinged hooks, with tracks like «Rock And Roll All Nite» and «Detroit Rock City» becoming genre staples, while songs such as «Beth» showed a softer, ballad-oriented side. Through numerous lineup changes over the decades, Simmons and Stanley remained the band's constant core, with other guitarists and drummers, including Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, and Bruce Kulick, passing through at various points before Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer became long-standing members.

KISS is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of merging rock music with large-scale branding and merchandising, and their influence extends across hard rock and glam metal that followed. The band's combination of theatrical performance and accessible, hook-laden songwriting cemented its place as one of the most recognizable acts in rock history.