Music Bloodline

Kiss

With a garish glam image and hard rocking anthems, they became rock legends with a reputation for incredible live shows.

Biography

Rooted in the campy theatrics of Alice Cooper and the sleazy glam rock of the New York Dolls, Kiss became a favorite of American teenagers in the '70s. Most kids were infatuated with the look of Kiss, not their music. Decked out in outrageously flamboyant costumes and makeup, the band fashioned a captivating stage show featuring dry ice, smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, blood-spitting, and fire-breathing. But Kiss' music shouldn't be dismissed. A commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks, it laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that dominated rock in the late '80s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine