The hard rock band Kiss has finalized the sale of its extensive back catalogue of songs to a Swedish music investor, fetching a sum speculated to surpass $300 million (£237 million).
Stockholm-based Pophouse Entertainment has acquired not only the band’s repertoire of songs but also their brand, likeness, and intellectual property.
This transaction signifies the band’s retirement from live performances, culminating with their ongoing End of the Road World Tour.
Joining the ranks of iconic musicians who have made similar moves, such as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, Kiss’s deal underscores the lucrative nature of such transactions in the music industry. Dylan and Springsteen, for instance, garnered sums exceeding $500 million (£395 million) and $450 million (£355 million), respectively, for their catalogues.
While specific financial details of the Kiss deal remain undisclosed, it is believed to resemble the structure of previous transactions, akin to that of the British band Genesis. Nonetheless, it falls short of the monumental sale of Michael Jackson’s catalogue, which commanded a staggering $600 million (£474 million).
In this arrangement, Pophouse not only gains ownership of the band’s music but also secures control over the entire Kiss brand, including intellectual property rights. This broad ownership empowers the Swedish firm to leverage future opportunities, including the creation of AI-generated content.
Having previously collaborated with Kiss on a digital avatar project in December of the previous year, Pophouse Entertainment demonstrates a track record of innovative ventures. Notably, they also orchestrated the successful Abba Voyage concerts, which capitalized on a similar concept.
Established in 1973 by lead vocalists Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Kiss gained renown for their distinctive face paint, a signature element of their early persona. The original lineup, which featured members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, delivered hits such as “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “God of Thunder” during their 1970s heyday.
In a significant shift in 1983, the band unveiled themselves without their trademark face paint, a move commonly referred to as their “unmasking,” which coincided with a resurgence in their popularity. However, they later returned to their iconic masked appearance in the late 1990s.
