Kiss Sold Everything to Pophouse for $300 Million
Months after finally calling it quits for their human forms, legendary rock band Kiss has sold everything to a Pophouse Entertainment. When I say everything, I mean everything. Their music, the brand, logo, likenesses, publishing rights, master recordings… fucking everything.
Gene Simmons told Fortune, who initially reported on the sale, that he and his fellow bandmates trust Pophouse to keep the band’s legacy moving forward.
“Kiss the touring band is over — we’ve stopped touring after 50 years. What Pophouse will do with our images, our music and our personas is unlike anything anyone has ever seen.”
For those keeping score, this is the same company that’s supposed to be handling Kiss’ future as digital performers. Under their guidance, Pophouse should be tasked with running concerts featuring the Kiss avatars that were first unveiled at the final Kiss concert in New York City last year.
Speaking of the sale, Pophouse Head of Investment Johan Lagerlöf said the company plan to bring Kiss to an even wider audience for the foreseeable future.
“Kiss is one of the most recognized and iconic bands in the history of music. They redefined the concept of rock shows and have always taken their artistry to new uncharted territories.
“The band has consistently been able to appeal to new generations of fans and our mission is to fulfill the band’s vision to become immortal, and to let new generations discover and be part of the Kiss journey and carry it forward. With the help of the fans’ energy, the band, our expertise, and creativity we will make that vision happen.”
Pophouse Entertainment CEO Per Sundlin echoed those sentiments, recognizing that the band had become a “cultural force and a legendary act with multigenerational appeal” over the last five decades.
“We will safeguard and enrich this legacy through future global endeavors, by breathing new life into their characters and personas while also leveraging and elevating the visual world of Kiss.”
As it stands, Kiss is planning on having their first avatar-based concert in 2027. Unfortunately, the only people to have really seen the Kiss hologram/avatar/digital bois in person outside of the company developing them was the people at that last show. People involved in the project claim the visuals will be even better over time. To that end, Fortune revealed that the band traveled to Walt Disney Co.’s Industrial Light & Magic to complete some in-depth motion capture for the digital avatars.
