Kiss released many tracks in the 1970s and early 1980s, but not all of them made it to the top 10 on the Billboard charts, despite their huge fan base. For example, “Christine Sixteen” peaked at No. 25, “Love Gun” reached No. 61, and “Shout It Out Loud” hit No. 54. “Rocket Ride” did a bit better, climbing to No. 39. A review praised Ace Frehley’s performance on “Rocket Ride,” calling it a memorable song that deserved a higher spot on the charts.
In a unique move for the late 1970s, all four band members recorded solo songs at the same time. Frehley’s “New York Groove” made it to No. 13, while Gene Simmons’ “Radioactive” reached No. 7. Paul Stanley’s “Hold Me, Touch Me” didn’t fare as well, landing at No. 47.
Kiss started in the early 1970s with Stanley, Simmons, Frehley, and drummer Peter Criss. They became known for their face paint and wild stage shows. In 1979, “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” hit No. 11 on the Billboard chart and even reached No. 1 in Canada. Stanley later said he had no regrets about the disco vibe of the song.
Criss appeared on the cover of the 1980 album Unmasked, but session drummer Anton Fig played on all the tracks, including those on Dynasty. “Shandi” peaked at No. 47, with Stanley being the only member on that recording. In 1981, “A World Without Heroes,” co-written by Lou Reed, reached No. 56, featuring Simmons on lead vocals and Stanley on guitar.
Interestingly, the 1978 version of “Strutter” didn’t make the Billboard top 100 at all, with some mixes adding echo effects to the original.
