Kiss Photography

Since 1973, Kiss has rock and rolled all night and partied every day, all while rewriting the rules of live performance. Instead of simply singing and performing, these irreverent New Yorkers became the most intricate and theatrical heavy metal band of all time—thanks to fire breathing, blood splitting, pyrotechnics, and other unprecedented production marvels.

Founders Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss donned iconic make-up and supernatural costumes, instantly enshrining them with superhero status. A series of platinum records in the late ’70s featured hits like “Detroit Rock City,” “Beth,” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” all falling somewhere between balls-to-the-wall bombast, melodramatic monster ballads, and disco deviance.

In addition to the sold-out status of latter-era tours helmed by Stanley and Simmons, the band’s sales now span over 40 million albums in the United States alone. In fact, 28 of those projects have been certified gold—marking an all-time American record—and in 2014, the band was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.