KISS are a US rock band that formed in the early seventies. They recently sold their songs and likenesses for future productions. In this article, we discuss the KISS deal.
Few rock bands have the graphical brand identity that Kiss does. Over the years, it has worked well for the band, who have made millions from it. Yet a recent deal has seen them sell not just their songs but their whole image for use in future concerts and events. Has KISS set a precedent for AI music in doing so?
The KISS deal
Abba is as far away from the rock band KISS as you can get. Yet their recent Voyage tour was more influential than many people may think. The band did not even turn up. Instead, they were replaced by holographic images who sang their songs and danced, showing themselves as younger, albeit more artificial, versions of themselves. Conservative estimates had the show making $2 million a week, and that was before it even started touring.
Never one to miss an opportunity, KISS seemed to have jumped on the chance and promptly sold their entire brand for around $300 million to a Swedish music investor. What makes the deal unique is that it also includes the rights to the KISS brand. The same company that made Abba Voyage had collaborated with Kiss on a similar project in the past and also made the purchase. This suggests that the legacy of KISS will be one of AI-generated content, with more albums and tracks to come after the demise of the band themselves.
The weird world of KISS merchandise and licensing
As a brand, KISS has never been shy about putting its image on a product of any kind. They have had their painted faces on everything from air guitar strings to coffins, toilet paper, rum, meat buns, and cereal. One of their earliest outings was even a board game, which involved learning about US geography and state capitals as you toured with them.
A large part of their income has come from licensing a range of gambling products. Like many celebrities, they have their own slot machine, which is a 5-reel slot with 100 pay lines. In 2021, they also had an online slot game named Reels of Rock. Created by veteran developers Play’N’Go, it was one of many games in the modern golden age of slot titles. Online casinos have had a huge resurgence in popularity, and using likenesses such as KISS is one way to attract new customers. It is not just slots that are popular either, as these new customers often go on to discover blackjack and roulette games in the UK. Through the use of innovative themes like this and welcome bonuses, the sector has managed to welcome many new players. This boom has all been to the advantage of Kiss, who have capitalized on it.
Prior to this, they even had a scratch card in the New Mexico lottery. There were three different types, and each cost $5. In 2013, the Texas Lottery also created a scratch-off Kiss lottery ticket. Prizes included a meet and greet, signed merchandise, and cash prizes.
What does it mean for the future of music?
Sadly, the deal also came as a finish to their days of live performing. Their End of the Road World Tour will be their last. However, it may not be that way if Per Sundin, the CEO of Pophouse, has anything to do with it. He plans to champion the KISS legacy for fans old and new for all generations. The aim is to fuse their imagery with cutting-edge technology so the band can be experienced like never before. This digital avatar factor is a key element of the deal. According to social media, the first concert is expected to arrive in 2027.
The company had also announced that they planned to create a biopic on the band’s history. The group has been active since 1973 and was founded by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Characterized by their striking facepaint, they had hits like God of Thunder into the seventies and were part of the hair metal phase in the mid-eighties. It is estimated they have sold around 100 million records over the last 50 years.
Kiss are not the only major artists to sell their back catalogs recently. Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen have both sold their songs, though not their likenesses as KISS have done. Dylan is reported to have sold his music for $500 million, while Springsteen sold him for $450 million. It is also believed that rock band Genesis struck a similar deal for their back catalog.
The big question raised is ethics. Does the world really want music to become AI-generated, especially when it comes to what is being touted as live performances? In the case of Abba, it seems that they do. With back catalogs increasingly falling into the hands of large corporations, we may see more classic rock and pop getting the shiny AI treatment in the near future.
Photo by Sebastian Ervi via Pexels
