Kiss 40

Last updated
Kiss 40
Kiss 40 album cover.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedMay 23, 2014
Recorded1973–2013
Genre Hard rock
Length2:31:07
Label Universal Music Group
Producer Various
Kiss chronology
Monster
(2012)
Kiss 40
(2014)
Kiss Rocks Vegas
(2016)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Kiss 40 (also known as Kiss 40 Years: Decades of Decibels) is a compilation released by Kiss to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary. [2]

Contents

Information

The album contains one track from every album the band has released over their 40-year career including live albums, the 1978 solo albums, as well as songs from compilations and from the three instant live albums, which are commercially available for the first time. There is one unreleased song: "Reputation". [3]

The album is the first released by the band since their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [4]

A limited-edition Best Buy exclusive version was released that came with a T-shirt. [5]

The Japanese edition features an exclusive track, "Hell or Hallelujah (Live at Budokan 2013)". [6]

Reception

Reception for the album has been mostly positive. In David Jeffries' review for AllMusic, he praised the album for being "filled with classics and desirable extras" but questioned the album's "odd one song-per-album rule" before finishing the review by commenting that "this is a triumph of format and the band's longevity, but not necessarily a knockout introduction".

Track listing

Disc 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Original AlbumLength
1."Nothin' to Lose" Gene Simmons Kiss , 19743:23
2."Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"Simmons, Paul Stanley Hotter Than Hell , 19742:14
3."C'mon and Love Me"Stanley Dressed to Kill , 19752:55
4."Rock and Roll All Nite" (live in 1975)Simmons; Stanley Alive! , 19753:59
5."God of Thunder" (demo)Stanley The Box Set , 2001; originally from Destroyer , 19762:55
6."Beth" Bob Ezrin, Peter Criss, Stan PenridgeDestroyer2:45
7."Hard Luck Woman"Stanley Rock and Roll Over , 19763:32
8."Reputation" (unreleased demo)SimmonsPreviously unreleased, 20145:39
9."Christine Sixteen"Simmons Love Gun , 19773:11
10."Shout It Out Loud" (live in 1977)Ezrin, Simmons, Stanley Alive II , 19773:25
11."Strutter ‘78"Simmons, Stanley Double Platinum , 19783:40
12."You Matter to Me"John Vastano, Michael Morgan, Vini Poncia Peter Criss , 19783:14
13."Radioactive"Simmons Gene Simmons , 19783:51
14."New York Groove" Russ Ballard Ace Frehley , 19782:59
15."Hold Me, Touch Me (Think of Me When We're Apart)"Stanley Paul Stanley , 19783:39
16."I Was Made for Lovin' You" (single edit) Desmond Child, Stanley, Poncia Dynasty , 19794:01
17."Shandi"Stanley, Poncia Unmasked , 19803:34
18."A World Without Heroes"Ezrin, Simmons, Lou Reed, Stanley Music From “The Elder” , 19812:37
19."I Love It Loud" (Remix 1985)Simmons, Vinnie Vincent Creatures of the Night , 19824:12
20."Down on Your Knees" Mikel Japp, Stanley, Bryan Adams Killers , 19823:27
21."Lick It Up"Stanley, Vincent Lick It Up , 19833:53
22."Heaven's on Fire"Child, Stanley Animalize , 19843:17
Disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Tears Are Falling"Stanley Asylum , 19853:52
2."Reason to Live"Child, Stanley Crazy Nights , 19873:59
3."Let’s Put the X in Sex"Child, Stanley Smashes, Thrashes & Hits , 19883:48
4."Forever" (Remix) Michael Bolton, Stanley Hot in the Shade , 19893:51
5."God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II"Ezrin, Simmons, Stanley, Ballard Revenge , 19925:20
6."Unholy" (live in 1992)Simmons, Vincent Alive III , 19933:31
7."Do You Love Me?" (live unplugged 1995)Stanley, Ezrin, Kim Fowley Kiss Unplugged , 19963:15
8."Room Service" (live in 1975)Stanley You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! , 19963:37
9."Jungle" (radio edit)Stanley, Bruce Kulick, Curtis Cuomo Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions , 19974:53
10."Psycho Circus"Stanley, Cuomo Psycho Circus , 19984:50
11."Nothing Can Keep Me From You" Diane Warren Detroit Rock City soundtrack, 19994:04
12."Detroit Rock City" (live in 2003)Stanley, Ezrin Kiss Symphony: Alive IV , 20034:43
13."Deuce" (live in 2004)Simmons Kiss Instant Live , 20043:51
14."Firehouse" (live in 1999)Stanley Alive! The Millennium Concert , 20063:52
15."Modern Day Delilah"Stanley Sonic Boom , 20093:36
16."Cold Gin" (live in 2008) Ace Frehley Kiss Alive 35 , 20085:30
17."Crazy Crazy Nights" (live in 2010) Adam Mitchell, Stanley Kiss Sonic Boom Over Europe , 20104:08
18."Hell or Hallelujah"Stanley Monster , 20124:07
Japanese Bonus Track
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
19."Hell or Hallelujah" (live in 2013)Stanleypreviously unreleased, 2014; originally from Monster, 20125:07

Charts

Chart (2014)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [7] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [8] 87
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [9] 161
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [10] 45
Scottish Albums (OCC) [11] 86
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [12] 55
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [13] 53
US Billboard 200 [14] 30
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [15] 1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [16] 8

Certifications

Sales certification for "Kiss 40"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [17] Silver60,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

with

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References

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  2. "Lick It Up: "KISS 40" to Include Rare Live Tracks, Unreleased Demo | The Second Disc". theseconddisc.com. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
  3. "KISS - KISS 40 | Album Review | Hit The Floor". hitthefloor.com. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
  4. "Kiss founders set aside feud to take the stage at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction - NY Daily News". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
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