For many KISS fans, 2023 marked a bittersweet moment for the band. Having performed on countless stages over the decades, last year, the band decided to disband after holding one last performance in New York City. Having formed in the city back in 1972, it seemed only fitting that KISS would end its legacy in the same place. For 50 years, the band shared their music with the world as they released 20 studio albums and sold over 75 million records worldwide. While a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the band recently sold their music rights for a staggering amount of money as they prepare to propel KISS into a new digital age.
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According to Fortune, KISS recently sold the rights to their music catalog, logo, and name to the Pophouse Entertainment Group. While the decision to sell their rights might come as a shock to some, the Swedish company also holds the rights to ABBA, which they helped create a live avatar show for. And with KISS already promoting concerts featuring digital versions of themselves, it seemed the deal was just another step in the process.
The Future of KISS Comes With Whopping Price
Selling the right for a whopping $300 million, Gene Simmons discussed the future of KISS, stating, “Kiss the touring band is over. What Pophouse will do with our images, our music and our personas is unlike anything anyone has ever seen.” Speaking with Billboard, apparently, KISS went to see one of the ABBA digital concerts. Simmons recalled the experience, admitting, “We went to see the ABBA show and it blew our socks off. And the technology since then has improved by leaps and bounds. We’ve seen sketches of what it will look like and we looked like the X-Men.”
[RELATED: Former KISS Frontman Gene Simmons Is Ditching His Iconic Makeup for Upcoming Solo Shows]
Excited about the deal, Per Sundin, the CEO of Pophouse, shared the importance of keeping the legacy of KISS intact. “We have a lot of plans for Kiss.” He continued, “We want to keep to the legacy. We want to extend and amplify it for new generations.”
While performing their last concert back in December, KISS offered a sample of the future as they projected digital versions of the band on screen. The new age of KISS is scheduled to kick off in 2027.
(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
