After more than 20 years in the business and sales of nearly 80 million albums, KISS can legitimately be placed in the pantheon of the world's great rock and roll bands. Their best known songs, such as "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite," "Shout it Out Loud," and "Detroit Rock City" stand as some of the greatest rock anthems of all time. The band might also be credited with inventing the radio-friendly power ballad ("Beth"), even though it took nearly 10 years before other hard rock bands made such an addition to an album mandatory. Their chart successes notwithstanding, KISS's greatest contribution to rock and roll may be their pioneer efforts on the stage. Their outrageous makeup and a commitment to over-the-top theatrics radically expanded rock fans' expectations for showmanship.

KISS was formed in New York City in 1972 by bass player Gene Simmons and vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley after their band Wicked...