Did KISS Just Sell Catalog, Name & Likeness For a Stupid Amount of Money?

Gene Simmons, Eric Singer, Paul Stanley and Tommy Thayer of KISS visit SiriusXM's 'The Howard Stern Show' at SiriusXM Studios on March 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM

KISS is making big plans for the future. After revealing and teasing upcoming virtual stage shows at their farewell concert, the iconic band has sold their music catalog, image, name, likeness, and even their makeup designs to Pophouse Entertainment. Pophouse is the company behind ABBA’s “Voyage” hologram show and will be taking over to create KISS’s show. Reportedly, the deal was worth around $300 million.

The deal came just about four months after KISS shared their plans for the futuristic show. Pophouse said that they plan to promote the band’s “iconic music, enigmatic personas, and expressive imagery for generations to come.” This will ensure the legacy of KISS lives on and Pophouse CEO Per Sundin added, “Our partnership will fuse the rich history and iconic status of KISS with cutting-edge technology, allowing fans – now and in the future – to experience the band like never before.”

KISS co-founder Gene Simmons also shared, “We have always been breaking new ground in popular culture, and this partnership will ensure that we continue to do so for years to come. Because what Pophouse is doing, is breaking rules. We already have several plans in development.”

Gene Simmons of US rock group Kiss performs live on stage, for a one-off Independence Day show as a fundraiser for the Help for Heroes charity, at The Kentish Town Forum on July 4, 2012 in London, England

Jim Dyson/Getty Images

Pophouse launched the ABBA “Voyage” show in 2022 and has since made over $1 million per week. It launched in London but now there are plans to take the show worldwide, reportedly heading to Las Vegas. No word yet on when a KISS holographic show may begin, but we will keep you posted.

KISS was formed by Simmons and co-founder Paul Stanley in 1973 and has been rocking out ever since. They became one of the most famous bands in the ’70s and beyond, known for their outlandish makeup and on-stage personas. Sundin concluded, “Kiss has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has throughout their 50-year career continued to push the boundaries in popular culture. The band’s enigmatic personas, unparalleled band attributes, and iconic imagery have made them a cultural force and a legendary act with multigenerational appeal. We will safeguard and enrich this legacy through future global endeavors, by breathing new life into their characters and personas while also leveraging and elevating the visual world of KISS.”

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