With their outlandish costumes, full makeup, and theatrical stage shows, the rock group KISS took rock and roll (see entry under 1950s—Music in volume 3) and theater, mixed it together, and sold millions of records and concert tickets. They also took the marketing of rock music to new levels. Along the way, they also made some solid hard-rock records. Among the numerous hard-rock acts in the 1970s, KISS had the most extensive and devoted following.

Formed in 1973, the group consisted of bassist Gene Simmons (1949–), guitarist Paul Stanley (1952–), drummer Peter Criss (1945–), and guitarist Ace Frehley (1951–). Their first album, KISS, came out in February 1974. It was reasonably successful, and the band toured constantly and developed their fan base. Their success came mostly from their theatrical stage shows. By the early 1970s, music fans were tiring of going to concerts simply to see their favorite performers in person; now many fans...