KISS is one of the most well known bands in the world, and a large part is due to their merchandising. Gene Simmons managed to get the KISS brand onto anything he could get his hands on, but the music of the band should not be ignored. The band put out some truly amazing songs and today we will look at the ten best.
10: Beth
Beth is a slow melody that deals with the band’s loneliness with regards to being away from their wives and girlfriends. It is a much softer tune than the rest of their output, but that helps it stand out better. In fact, considering the album it is on, Destroyer, contains some of their heavier songs, this makes Beth even more notable. Sung by Peter Criss with a piano and string orchestra backing, Beth shows that KISS was capable of a wide variety of music.
9: Hell or Hallelujah
KISS doesn’t get a lot of recognition for their newer music, but this song from their latest album, Monster, is one of their best. Hell or Hallelujah goes for a pure hard rock/metal approach and shows that even decades after they first started releasing music, KISS still has what it takes to put out great music. Hell or Hallelujah is a semi autobiographical song by Simmons and Stanley and feels like a culmination of everything KISS has been through.
8: Shout it Out Loud
My favourite KISS album remains Destroyer and this is one of the best songs on the record. A concert staple, both the studio and a live recording have tracked on the Billboard top 100. A song closer to the band’s typical output, Shout it Out Loud is KISS doing what they do best. This is a song that gets you into a mood to party like few others can. It definitely has that KISS magic.
7: I Was Made for Loving You
One of the best known songs by KISS, this had to be on the list but many might be surprised as the backlash the band has for it. I was Made For Loving You was the band’s way of protesting commercial music at the time like Disco and they wanted to show how easy it was to get a song like that out there with no effort put in. This being KISS though, a song they didn’t put effort into still became a classic that is identified with them to this day. Simmons, Stanley and the others have made clear their disdain for the song, but the fans still love it.
6: Strutter
The Debut song from KISS, Strutter served as an introduction to the band. They used a mix of hard and glam rock that would be expanded upon later and had an early hit, even if it failed to chart. The song showed KISS at their earliest and unrefined stage but nonetheless has a legacy by showing what the band was capable of and why they were a force to be reckoned with.
5: Calling Dr. Love
One of the better Gene Simmons written songs, Calling Dr. Love came from an interesting source, namely his love of classic Three Stooges movies. This song is a perfect combination of the band’s glam rock and hard rock influences from their earlier albums, but in a much more polished state. For many this is a guilty please, but Simmons’s vocals not only fit the song perfectly, but also his persona. This is one of the two definitive songs for Simmons when it comes to KISS.
4: God Gave Rock and Roll To You II
KISS covered the power ballad God Gave Rock and Roll To You, but modified the sound and lyrics and so it merited a slight name change. The original song was by the British band Argent, and had been covered before by Petra, but it was KISS that truly made it their own. KISS was going through their non makeup phase and many felt they were passed their prime. One listen of this however, and everyone realized the magic was still there. Simmons and Paul Stanley shared lead vocals and showed just how skilled they were, delighting fans the world over when this appeared in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey.
3. God of Thunder
God of Thunder, from the Destroyer album, is THE definitive song for Gene Simmons. It goes straight for hard rock and eschews any glam rock or soft rock influences. Paul Stanley may have written this song, but it has become the anthem of Gene Simmons. No one but he could have brought the passion and intensity needed and there is a reason it has become a mainstay of KISS concerts.
2. Detroit Rock City
Another hit from Destroyer, Detroit Rock City is a tribute to a fallen KISS fan that still manages to be one of the most important rock songs of all time. It has influenced hard rock and heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden and Pantera, while cementing KISS’s legacy as a hard rock band. For all the venturing into other genres that they do, KISS is a rock band and when they focus on that, they are unstoppable. KISS has inspired so many musicians because of their skill and talent and Detroit Rock City is the perfect technical song to use as an example of their work. It may not be their best known song, but it is their most refined.
1. Rock And Roll All Nite
One of the best known songs by the band, Rock And Roll All Nite may be their signature song in many ways. It is a favourite of live shows and has a catchy tune that manages to get the crowds going. It is a song that fans and non fans alike know, and is just a fun song. While I was Made For Loving You may have been a song the band hated and put little effort into, Rock And Roll All Nite shows the band at their peak, with both passion and creative drive pushed all the way up. This song will continue to delight fans for generations to come, even after KISS stops performing. Detroit Rock City may be the technical marvel, but Rock And Roll All Nite is just passion and fun personified
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