Best charting hit for KISS didn’t even feature Paul Stanley on lead vocals

As a child of the ’70s and ’80s, I have fond memories of KISS, the band that rocked our worlds like no other. Their music, their image, and their unapologetic attitude were a perfect storm that shaped the face of rock and roll for decades to come.

Without a doubt, KISS stands as one of the largest and most renowned rock and roll acts throughout the annals of the genre. Their influence greatly shaped the direction that rock music took during the 1980s.

In 1974, their debut single, titled “Kissing Time,” made its way onto the charts, kick-starting their career. For the remainder of that decade, they earned fame by producing hard-hitting rock anthems such as “Rock and Roll All Night,” “Calling Dr. Love,” and “Shout it Out Loud” – songs like these among many others.

Beyond their musical performances, they became well-known for always performing with distinctive facial makeup. This masked their identities from the public, adding an element of enigma surrounding them.

What was KISS’ highest charting song and who sang it?

1983 marked the surge of the Hair Band Era in rock music, and right then, KISS debuted “Lick It Up.” Interestingly, this was the first time they appeared without makeup, which contrasted with other bands like Motley Crue, Poison, and others who were embracing makeup as part of their style.

During the late eighties, their band managed a fair amount of popularity with hits such as “Lick It Up”, “Heaven’s on Fire”, “Tears Are Falling”, and “Reason to Live”. Additionally, several others also found success. These songs regularly appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, although none quite reached the top 40.

Back in 1990, I was thrilled when they unveiled their soulful ballad, “Forever.” This beautiful tune managed to climb up the charts, peaking at the impressive position of number eight, making it one of their most successful releases.

1976 saw the release of the band’s remarkable rock anthem single, “Detroit Rock City”. However, the ballad on its reverse side, which turned out to be their biggest hit ever, was “Beth”.

Previously, drummer Peter Criss was part of a band called Chelsea, where he collaborated on the composition of “Beth” with band member Stan Penridge. However, this band never recorded the song, so when Criss joined Kiss, he brought it along. There’s debate about the extent of Criss’ contribution to the songwriting, as suggested by Jim Beviglia from American Song Writer.

Regardless of how much writing Criss did on the song, he sang lead vocals when KISS recorded it. The song was a big hit and peaked at number seven on the charts in September 1976.

In the 1980s, the success of KISS’s song “Beth” served as a model for many rock bands. They would release albums featuring mostly hard-rock tracks, but also include a few ballads. These slow songs often became their most popular hits, such as Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home,” Poison’s “Every Rose Has its Thorn,” Dokken’s “Alone Again,” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” This approach proved successful time and again during the 80s.

It’s quite surprising that a band known for its massive rock anthems saw their highest-charting songs be ballads. This irony deepens when you realize that their most popular hit was sung not by Paul Stanley, but rather by Peter Criss.

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2024-11-29 17:00