QUICK NOTE FOR FOLKS HERE: I've had a lot of negative comments from people angry that I'm ranking the albums the way I have and saying that some are better or worse than others, when in fact that is NOT at all what I've said or the point of this video at all. I mentioned in the introduction that I was basing my ranking on how often I still play these albums, especially those that get played from beginning to end, and that's it. I love ALL of these albums, there are no "worst" albums here for me. Just because I put one album at number 11 and another at number 4 doesn't mean one is so much better than the other, it's simply a matter of how often I still play the albums, because some just get played more than others. I try to explain why it is with each album, but overall understand that I am a massive KISS fan and all of these albums are great. And my opinion is subjective and means nothing to anyone but myself anyhow :) This is all just for fun, cheers everyone. - Larry, Geeking Poetic.
Dressed To Kill and Rock n' Roll Over are also my top 2. for a long time C' mon and Love Me was my favorite KISS-song. It's so f**kig catchy. The production of Rock n' Roll Over is stellar!
I was a huge Kiss freak in the 70s. You couldn't see any part of my bedroom walls because they were covered with all things Kiss! But they were fazed out after Dynasty. I saw the Love Gun tour when i was 11. Alive! Is my favorite album followed by Rock and Roll Over. The 70s rocked for sure. I miss waiting for new records coming out about once a year. Ace rocks...!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! That's amazing you got to see them on the Love Gun tour, I wish I had been able to. Alive! is an incredible album....I might revise this list in the future and add in the live albums too, it felt wrong leaving them out.
@GeekingPoetic Yeah, it was pretty amazing. It was like seeing superheroes in real life! And nothing was cooler than Ace's smoking guitar solo... I'm lucky to have had a great Mom that made it possible. P.S. thanks for the cool vid!
@@1wickedgroove My mom took me to my first KISS concert too when I was a kid. Hats off to all the cool moms out there who did stuff like that for us! And thanks again for your comments, cheers.
Yeah, even evidenced by some of the replies on this video people still call it the "disco record", which is ridiculous. Imagine if they'd not put those two disco songs on that record and instead put something from Paul and Peter's solo albums on there instead, noone would call it the "disco record" at all. Can't label a whole album after two freakin' songs, but they do it anyways *sigh*
It's crazy to think, there's only five years between the debut album and Dynasty I love how time seemed to go slower back then... 1. Love Gun 2. Dressed to Kill 3. Kiss 4. Hotter than Hell 5. Rock and Roll Over 6. Dynasty 7. Destroyer 8. Paul Stanley 9. Peter Criss 10. Gene Simmons 11. Ace Frehley
Agreed, one of the things I love about music from the Sixties and Seventies especially is to see how these artists grew and changed so much over such a short period of time. Things did seem to just move at a different pace back then!
1. Dynasty (1979) 2. Dressed To Kill (1975) 3. Hotter Than Hell (1974) 4. Kiss (1974) 5. Rock And Roll Over (1976) 6. Destroyer (1976) 7. Love Gun (1977) 8. Ace Frehley (1978) 9. Gene Simmons (1978) 10. Paul Stanley (1978) 11. Peter Criss (1978)
Wow what a list At least you got RARO at #1..that was your only saving grace! I like them all but jeez!!! Gene, Paul and Dynasty higher than Love Gun?? Debut at #7?? What a mess!! 😅 1. RARO 2. Hotter Than Hell 3. Debut 4. Ace 5. Dressed to Kill 6. Destroyer 7. Love Gun 8. Paul 9. Dynasty 10. Gene 11. Peter
I wish they would officially release the 1973 demo. Those songs ended up on the first 2 albums but those demo versions are killer!!! Aces Solos are killer on that demo I know some of the demos were released on the box set but I want a 5 track demo official release
I agree. I really hope in the near future we get a boxset for the first album complete with all the demos and some early live shows, maybe a new remix/remaster of the album too, like they did for Destroyer and Creatures...
Fantastic video... and the fact that you took the time to recreate the border of the1978 trading cards, and make it into a screen border, is a truly inspired touch, well done!
Oh such a hard task to critique there vast catalog of awesome tunes ! As far as the solo albums are concerned I have to say that each solo album has its own FLAVOR so it really comes down to my mood for that day, hour etc. One day its all about Ace next day its Gene's etc. That goes for any of the other albums as well. Thank you for another STELLAR episode !!!!!
1. Hotter Then Hell 2. Destroyer 3, Dressed To Kill 4. Ace Frehley 5. Rock And Roll Over 6. Kiss 7. Dynasty 8. Love Gun 9. Gene Simmons 10. Paul Stanley 11. Peter Criss 🤘😝🎶
No matter what order these albums are in, that's all subjective, it shows a great catalogue of rocking music these guys made in such a short period. 11 studio albums in 5/6 years is phenomenal. And I play them all regularly, even Peter's solo album when I am in a more mellow mood. I even have Take Me as my as my ringtone lol
That's exactly right! I mean honestly even asking me to rank then again in the near future and it'll probably change lol. All of these albums are great and the fact that this was all created in such a short amount of time is really amazing. Thanks for the comment!
What you might think about doing is the top album covers of KISS!! My top 3 Alive Destroyer Dress to kill ROCK N ROLL all night... PARTY every day.. 💪👏🍻
Great video, Larry! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights! I love checking out album ranking videos. And I'm ecstatic that everyone's preferences are different. Our top two albums just happen to be the same. After that, it's all over the place. However, the point that I'm trying to make is- your list is 100% spot on. Because, it's YOUR list. Everyone's ranking is correct. This is just a testimony to how great of a band KISS is. And what they've meant to all of us, through the years. Hell, you could have put Peter Criss' solo album at number 1, and I still would have hit the thumbs up! And, in reference to your point about the live vs. studio opinion. Completely agree. In fact, to go one tic more extreme. After hearing the Strutter Demo. I have no interest in ever listening to the studio version again. The demo version has more fire and bombast than both the live and studio versions. Also, I really dig the KISS trading card boarder you put around your screen! Great job, brother!
Thanks for your comment and checking out the video! Yes as I said in the video and in the comments here, there is no "correct answer" when it comes to a list like this, the truth is that the only list that matters is your own. Plus I mean, every album here I love to some degree, I certainly have no desire to trash these albums as they mean a lot to me and so many others out there. It's just fun to see how people's favorites compare and contrast! I'll have more ranking videos up soon, and hopefully you'll check 'em out. Cheers!
Hard for me to single one Album out from KISS'S output in the 1970s Love everyone. All the cover art on each album so awesomeness. I absolutely love the Dynasty album cover. Classic photo..I'm a huge fan of all 1978 solo albums. The cover paintings are so iconic and the colour scheme for each member around the hue to match each personality. Love your list man. All your rankings are cool to me. Cos i love every 70s record they put out....
I totally agree, the artwork and the whole aesthetic of Dynasty really kicks ass. I'm going to do an episode about the album covers here soon actually!
Love the Peter Criss, my favourite solo album by the band. Peter is an excellent singer and the album is so very soulful. Ace album is also fantastic 👌 Favourite Kiss albums from the 70s Destroyer and the first album 👌
That's awesome, just goes to show how tastes vary. Some people really don't like Peter's album and others think it's the best. I love all the solo albums and go through phases of being hooked on each of them. Thanks for commenting!
Fan since 77…… 1. Rock And Roll Over Favorites- I Want You Take Me Calling Dr. Love Mr. Speed Makin’ Love 2. Dressed To Kill Favorites- Room Service Ladies In Waiting Getaway C’mon And Love Me Love Her All I Can She 3. Ace Favorites Rip It Out Snow Blind Ozone I’m In Need of Love Wiped Out 4. KISS- Favorites Strutter Cold Gin Deuce 100,000 Years Black Diamond 5. Destroyer Favorites- Detroit Rock City King of The Night Time World God of Thunder Sweet Pain 6. Love Gun Favorites- I Stole Your Love Shock Me Love Gun Almost Human 7. Hotter Than Hell Favorites- Parasite Hotter Than Hell All The Way Watchin’ You Strange Ways 8. Paul Favorites- Tonight You Belong To Me Take Me Away It’s Alright Goodbye 9. Dynasty Favorites- 2,000 Man Charisma Magic Touch Hard Times 10. Gene Favorites- Radioactive See You Tonite Mr. Make Believe 11. Peter Favorites- I’m Gonna Love You I Can’t Stop The Rain
FWIW- 11. Peter Criss 10. Gene Simmons 9. Paul Stanley 8. Dynasty 7. Love Gun 6. Ace Frehley 5. Destroyer 4. Dressed To Kill 3. Rock And Roll Over 2. Kiss 1. Hotter Than Hell
Yeah exactly, I've been a fan since the 70s and have had many real-life debates and arguments with other fans over this topic for years, and as you can see by the lists people have shared here we're all so different in our tastes and preferences. To me that's part of what makes listening to KISS so great, it isn't a stale or same-y catalog by any means, can appeal to so many different tastes and moods but still somehow always sounds like KISS, at least to me! Thanks for the comment and checking out the video.
1- Kiss debut 2 Hotter then hell 3 Dressed to kill 4 Rock and roll over 5 Love gun 6 Ace Frehley 7 Destroyer 8 Peter Criss 9 Dynasty, 10 Paul Stanley 11 Gene Simmons
No disrespect,but if you’re not including the live albums. Why compare the studio versions to them? I think most would agree that the live versions are better. But I think if you’re taking them out .Then the studio albums should stand alone.
Alright I understand your point. It's not really so much about comparing, in as much as just talking about how I prefer to hear the songs. But I understand where you're coming from. Thinking about it from that angle, yeah, it might have made sense to just include Alive one and two. Appreciate your feedback and thanks for checking out the video!
@@GeekingPoeticYou needed to pretend there were “no” live versions because you didn’t include live albums. So all you are left with is the studio versions!
Yeah, I can see that way of thinking about it. Honestly at this point after seeing the responses and thinking on it, I would've just added the two live albums into the mix. It's just a silly YT video that has no importance thankfully, haha! But I might revisit this again, especially since I've gotten so many good responses with people's own lists I want to highlight their choices and I might revise my own. Especially going forward with other ranking lists I have planned. I appreciate the input and insight there, honestly, thanks for commenting and watching!
So glad the solos were in there. Frehleys first still gets played constantly.....I just started.. so when I'm done with this episode. I will post my list
As a KISS fan of 51 years, i first saw them live one early 1974 afternoon after school when the Mike Douglas tv show came on, they played 3 hard tunes and i was hooked ! i was immediately an Ace Frehley fan cause he had those bitchin silver stars around his eyes, perfect ! Very difficult to choose worst to first but you have some great points on your picks . For me 100,000 years studio version is one of Paul Stanleys greatest ever opening riffs, Ace did not arrange the start of the tune as happened on many well known KISS classics. For a better perspective on KISSes early albums versus later productions it's best to read the book by Chris K. Lendt titled 'KISS and SELL' , it explains many of the faults of the early KISS albums such as Kenny Kerner and Ritchie Wise were only board ops and not experienced at all in album production, Eddie Kramer states that he passed on producing Boston's first LP to work on KISS es LP because KISS seemed like a bigger challenge, only one problem, Eddie only mixed KISSes first LP and did not actually record the studio tracks, so any opportunity to make their first LPs sound sonically great went out the window. Dressed to Kill was infinitely better than the first 2 albums due to Neil Bogart was failing financially and wanted more control over how KISS were being not only produced but also recorded, so Kerner and Wise were left out of the studio by Bogart on purpose and he took over the studio. Once Alive! hit big the band sought more creative control over the tunes being selected as Ace and Peter would not show up more and more for recording sessions, it's really not a slight on Ace and Peter, producers like Bob Ezrin were not happy with their recordings and studio tracks and they were being left out entirely by the time Destroyer was finished. More and more guitarists like Rick Derringer and Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter were filling in at the studio and session drummers like Carmen Appice were filling in as well, Ezrin weeded out most of the what KISS themselves recorded and replaced it with lavish studio session tracks that were to his liking, that's why i can only rank Destroyer in the bottom 5 albums, it's a great record, just not a great KISS record. Rock n' Roll Over was great because Corky Stastiak who worked for Eddie Kramer saw to it that the album was back to KISSes roots and that it sounded great sonically. By the time Dynasty was recorded that's not Peter at all on the album, that's Anton Fig, a close friend of Ace, Peter was in no shape to play drums at all due to substance abuse and 2 car wrecks that physically kept Peter from playing drums at all. Peter hung out with John Belushi, which at the time could be considered hazardous to ones health as cocaine was on tap. i put Ace Frehley's solo album at the top of my list as it was mainly Ace and only Ace that played and recorded his album on his own, he spent a month at the old Colgate mansion , that's where he and Eddie Kramer found an old Russ Ballard record with the tune New York Groove on it, Ace wasn't sure about the tune but Eddie thought it fit him the best. My opinion of solidly ranking the albums changes often, usually after hearing KISS themselves give opinions on those studio albums and how they were not only recorded but which albums sold well, it is Gene Simmons after all and money is a guiding factor when considering whether an album was done right. As someone who grew up listening and buying KISS records all the time i can tell you there is not one definite album that does it for me, it's the compilation of tunes and how they fit the bands history that makes me keep listening to them years later. I still have all my original KISS albums, some are signed by the band, some KISS LPs are rare issues and hard to find, i have met KISS over 8 times, 4 times were the original 1970s lineup, i still cherish the 2 times i met Eric Carr (Paul Carvello) R.I.P. , i still consider him just as much a part of KISS as any of the rest. The 1970s albums i still love so i will not pick any numerical order as each album has at least 2 tunes on it i love and still listen to, if you have your own opinion though that's just as valid, and yes, i still have all the original KISS cards, both volumes ! Quote : "Does anyone wanna get themselves KISSed ?"
Thanks Jesse, and yeah honestly for me there is no worst on this list. I think all of these albums are great that's why basically I just ranked them from the ones I still play the least to the ones that I still play the most... but make no mistake I still play and love them all!
On KISS Vinyl, I have Alive! (1975) coming in. I'm 29, so I never had a chance to get this when it was first released and I'm very excited to spin it on my (admittedly cheap) record player. My only problem with the used vinyl I have coming in is that it's missing its booklet :( going to have to buy it separate so I have the total package. I'd like to get some of the vintage action figures, but I'm going to go that route after I get the albums up until 1982 on vinyl (might return to collecting post-Ace stuff, but Ace is my favorite, so I'm less inclined to collect the rest).
Nice, yeah I love that booklet that came with Alive, that was one of my earliest memories of the band when I saw that booklet that belonged to a friend's older brother back then, he played me the album while I stared at the pics in the booklet and I was hooked!
@ its a vital piece of that album I agree! I probably could have gotten a better price or gotten a complete set if I shopped around, but I’ll be honest as soon as my post-Christmas paycheck hit it was an impulse buy lol. Hopefully finding the booklet wont be too difficult.
1. Destroyer 2. KISS 3. Dynasty 4. Ace Frehley 5. Dressed To Kill 6. Rock And Roll Over 7. Hotter Than Hell 8. Love Gun 9. Paul Stanley 10. Peter Criss 11. Gene Simmons
I love DtK and its 'bubblegum' sound, I think this would have suited most '70s Kiss songs overall very well. I certainly prefer it to Ezrin's echoing production style, never felt it suited Kiss. I even prefer HtH's dungeon sound to Destroyer, it just keeps sinking in my rankings so many fillers on that album with one track in particular worth it all, the opening song of course.
Yeah, even though I do love Destroyer in it's own right, I definitely prefer the sound of Dressed To Kill. DTK just leaps out of the speakers and makes those songs sound so vibrant in the best way.
Got into KISS in early/mid 80’s when I was a kid. First KISS album I heard in full was Dressed To Kill. The first one I owned was Animalize. Here’s my ranking of the same eleven 70’s albums: 1) Hotter Than Hell 2) KISS 3) Destroyer 4) Dressed To Kill 5) Paul Stanley 6) Gene Simmons 7) Rock And Roll Over 8) Love Gun 9) Dynasty 10) Ace Frehley 11) Peter Criss My Top 20 KISS songs: 1) Detroit Rock City 2) I Still Love You 3) Not For The Innocent 4) I’ve Had Enough (Into The Fire) 5) Black Diamond 6) Naked City 7) Watching You 8) Deuce 9) Keep Me Comin’ 10) The Oath 11) Parasite 12) God Of Thunder 13) I Love It Loud 14) Under The Rose 15) Love Her All I Can 16) War Machine 17) She 18) Young And Wasted 19) Flaming Youth 20) Creatures Of The Night
Dressed to kill is my favourite. I am not a Paul fan so rocking roll over is down on my list at 5.Hotter than hell 2 Kiss debut number 3 ace number4 rocking roll over 5.Destroyer 6
I saw my first Kiss concert in Oakland, Ca, 1976. I was 17. Though I wasn't a big fan and I'm still not of Destroyer it did get the girls listening to Kiss. That and some of Dynasty. I realize too the live versions of what's the first Kiss album are probably better, for the most part, but you can't ignore the quality of the songs. I "spin" that one the most. Thank you for your video.
Oh no without a doubt, like I said in the video the songs on the 1st album are stellar. I think people misunderstood my intention a bit and that's my fault, I should've made it more clear.....when I mention that I prefer the live versions, I'm explaining why I just don't spin that album too much anymore, simply because when I want to hear those songs I'd rather hear the live versions. But in no way is that meant to denigrate the importance or awesomeness of the studio versions in most instances! I ranked these primarily based upon which albums I spin the most frequently and from beginning to end.....not meant to be indicating that any of these albums are "bad" or "worst". They're all great! I should've done a better job making that clear I guess, but I'm still learning :) Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Haha yep I said in the video I knew that'd rile people up :D I stand by my reaons, honestly that album just doesn't get spun by me too often except when wanting to hear a couple of specific songs (Almost Human and Got Love For Sale particularly, so good!)
Make-up era studio list 12. PC solo / MFTE (tied) 11. Rock And Roll Over 10. GS solo 9. Love Gun 8. Dynasty 7. Unmasked 6. PS solo 5. AF solo 4. Hotter Then Hell 3. KISS s/t 2. Destroyer 1. Dressed To Kill
Loved this video! 100% Agree w/your opinion on production of love gun and Hotter. 11. PC solo 10. PS solo 9. GS solo Ok now people gonna get judgey 8. Hotter than hell 7.Dressed to kill 6. Dynasty 5.AF solo 4. Rock & rollover 3. Destroyer 2. Love gun 1. Kiss
As of 2025. I only listen to both alive 1 and 2. Ace frehley s. Solo album. Paul Stanley s solo album. And your top two albums. As far their 70s albums. And when I'm in the mood to hear some RNB then i occasionally will play peter s but as a regular basis the ones i mentioned i still play in 2025.
...I finally came across someone who agrees with me on my #1 and #2 favorite Kiss albums...after that, we wildly disagree...#3 - Hotter Than Hell...#4 - Paul's solo album...#5 - Destroyer...#6 - Ace's solo album...#7 - Love Gun...#8 - s/t debut...#9 - Dynasty...#10 - Gene's solo album...#11 - Pete's solo album...
Wow that's cool to see you put Paul's album so high. There are times when I listen to that one a lot. This list just reflects where I'm currently at in terms of how often I play these albums, but I like them all regardless. Thanks for viewing!
@@GeekingPoetic I think Paul's songwriting is outstanding on his solo album...his vocals on "Take Me Away (Together As One) are amongst some of the best he's ever rcorded...as for "Hold Me, Touch Me," it's my wife's & I "song"...long distance dating situations, so it has relevance. I won't bore you with my reasons for placing the other albums where I do...:0)
When they remastered the catalog in 1997 I snagged all 4 solo albums cause I kept hearing the Japanese market was issuing mini LP versions in 1998. I believe with most of the world the ‘97 reissues are still the common release. As they were only around for about a year in Japan I can’t bring myself to open them lol I still have all 4 Japan 1997 solo cds still sealed with OBI. I have all of the USA cds so I can still listen to them. Really Aces solo is the only one I listen to regularly lol I also still have my Strutter 3” mini cd set (5 cds) I’m sure you have this as well. All 5 cds have the same 3 tracks. Each member has their own cover and a group cover. I love how Paul has his original Bandit make up on 🔥🔥🔥
Yeah Aces album is the one that I by far listen to the most frequently, for good reason haha. I think those Japanese releases are awesome, I have to stop myself from going down that rabbit hole because there's so much cool stuff to collect from Japan
Hotter Than Hell has the best riffs, and the proto punk/garage rock style of production lended the release some street cred, along the lines of albums from The New York Dolls and The Stooges. It's down and dirty, but all killer no filler, and I'd rank it as my personal fav, with their debut coming in a very close second.
Cool video! My current ranking: 11-Peter Criss 10-Gene Simmons 9-Dynasty 8-Love Gun 7-Dressed To Kill 6-Ace Frehley 5-Destroyer 4-Paul Stanley 3-Rock And Roll Over 2-Hotter Than Hell 1-Kiss
Yep, that's the point of the whole thing really, just shows how there is no "definitive" ranking, least of all my own ranking. It's just my personal preference, that's all. Every album on the list I think is great in it's own right.
This might sound a bit out of the ordinary, but I think a Rock and Roll Over milling machine saw blade should be made, as I think that's what it looks like on the cover. I would also rank Dynasty up there with Destroyer, as I think they both sound like a KISS album with a touch of class. I like the harmonic singing on Sure Know Something, Dirty Livin and X-ray Eyes.
I love all these albums that I know I don't know the solo albums The song "I Was Made for Loving You" is the one that got me started loving Kiss must be the do do do part it just grabs you. don't care if people think its disco
I AGREE WITH ROCK 'N ROLL OVER AND DRESSED TO KILL AS WELL AS THE ACE SOLO ALBUM BUT I WOULD PUT LOVE GUN AND HOTTER THAN HELL AT 3 AND 4 AFTER DRESSED TO KILL.
Great KISS music subject. I truly respect your ranking of them, we all have our opinions. Now that that’s out of the way … NO WAY Gene and Peter’s album are getting ranked above Love Gun by anybody with more than one half deaf ear. HAHA! Just giving ya the biz, dude. Great vid. RAWK! 🤘🏾BTW … RARO is my #1 pick also, (with “Take Me” being fav KISS song ever …. Another tough choice.)
Haha man I understand, I do actually love the Love Gun album but I just don't play it too much anymore, I mostly play the live tracks from Alive II (or other sources) and only really revisit LG to hear "Almost Human" and "Got Love For Sale", two of my favorite Gene albums. Yeah I mean honestly, I could do this list a month from now and probably wind up shuffling the list by then because it's all down to my mood and listening habits at the time, I love 'em all! Thanks for the comment dude, cheers.
* If we were including the live albums I’d place Alive 2 in the number 2 position and Alive 1 in the number 5 position. 11. Peter Criss 10. Gene Simmons 09. Paul Stanley 08. Hotter Than Hell 07. Ace Frehley 06. KISS 05. Dressed To Kill 04. Love Gun 03. Dynasty 02. Rock & Roll Over 01. Destroyer
Oh nice, that's interesting to see you'd place Alive II ahead of the first Alive! Honestly I go back and forth with that myself.....love 'em both and kinda for different reasons at times (I love the studio songs on Alive II especially). Most people seem to prefer Alive!.....I'm planning on doing a new video here soon where I'll be discussing the live albums, so I've got a lot of thought to put into this....thanks for commenting!
@@GeekingPoetic I like both live albums a lot. I just prefer the Destroyer, R&RO, Love Gun era over the early era. I agree with you that the live versions of most songs are stronger than the stiff, clean studio versions - which is why I place Alive 2 at the #2 position. I like all of these records a lot, start to finish - except Peter’s record. I enjoy a wide variety of musical styles, but I find Peter’s solo album unlistenable.
I need to give Ace's solo album a relisten. I can spin Paul's record all the way through.And a vocalist myself sing along. I would put Rock and Roll Over on top. Dressed to Kill and Dynasty. I have my issues with the sound on their earlier recordings. Great episode.
Here's my list, not including the solo releases: 1. Dressed to Kill 2. Destroyer 3. Rock and Roll Over 4. Love Gun 5. Kiss 6. Hotter than Hell 7. Dynasty
I’d have Gene Simmons dead last. There’s some good songs on it but man there’s some crap on it. I’m surprised you have it in front of Paul’s and Love Gun which are way better for me. My number one is Rock n Roll Over like you, then Destroyer and then Kiss. Dressed To Kill is actually my least favourite 70s Kiss album. Feels rushed or something. I do like all these albums though and I respect your reasons and opinions
I love KISS. I must object that the solo albums be included. They are most certainly not KISS albums. On that note, in my humble opinion, Paul's is by far the best.
Yeah I've gone back and forth on that one myself over the years. I included them because like I said, the band themselves have stated that those albums are to be considered part of the official KISS discography so I put them in there. Paul's is definitely the most KISS-like, overall.
Thanks for showing respect while reviewing Peter's album. I'm sure if it had not been one of the first albums (of anyone) I bought (at 9 y.o.), I'd have a similar view, comparing it to others. I love the album, but it belongs near the bottom. Gene's belongs at the bottom. WYWUAS is embarrassing (although sung well) and Radioactive is sooooo overrated.
Peter's album is great in it's own right, I do enjoy it I just don't listen to it that much except when I'm really in that R&B mood. As for Gene's, like I said I really like the diversity of it, it IS an unusual record and I think that's why I like it so much, but I agree there's a few songs on there that are "meh" to me. I appreciate the sentiment and reasons behind why he did the Disney song, but it's not one I need to sit around and listen to often, haha. Thanks for watching!
I actually heard the demos of those 70s albums and some of them sound better than the actual albums especially the first album and the hotter than hell album.
So This is not official like Hit Paraders top 100 or any guitar magazine top 15 essential albums? I would take the debut over Lick it up , over Animalize, Asylum, creatures of the night. the debut rocks. it's your list My list. 8. Unmasked that album has a 70's feeling so i'm including that 7. Dynasty a great album love hearing that album 6. Dressed to kill a fantastic album 5.. Rock n roll all over another great album 4.. Love gun No let downs here 3.. Hotter than he l l l 2. these 2 can be inter changed 1. Destroyer my 6th place album on most other bands list would be in first place some exceptions Def Leppard 1981 to 1987 Black Sabbath - Paranoid Iron Maiden- beast, Piece of mind , 7th son Van Halen -1 it was a fun list but a hard list to do
I find myself wanting to put on the Gene record more often than Love Gun, even though both records have songs I'll gladly skip. If Love Gun's production and energy was at the level of, say, the studio songs on Side Four of Alive II I think it'd rank higher for me. But honestly if I never heard Then She Kissed Me, Hooligan, or Christine 16 again in my life I think I'd be ok with that haha But again, in essence I do love all of these albums to a degree and they're all special to me. Cheers.
11. Gene Simmons 10. Peter Criss 9. Paul Stanley 8. Love Gun 7. Destroyer 6. Dynasty 5. Kiss 4. Hotter Than Hell 3. Dressed To Kill 2. Ace Frehley 1. Rock And Roll Over Kiss got crap for “going disco” on Dynasty. I only hear 3 songs with a disco vibe. It is a great rock album as far as “pop.”
I agree with this ranking 98%. Peter Criss's solo is shit. Rock and Roll Over is best. I would have flipped the positions of the Gene and Paul solos. I'm thrilled that I'm not the only one that thinks Hotter Than Hell sounds like it was recorded over the phone (plus it has awful album art).
Before watching I will rank mine: 11. Peter Criss (by a mile) 10. Gene Simmons 9. Hotter Than Hell 8. Destroyer 7. Paul Stanley 6. Rock n Roll Over 5. Ace Frehley 4. Love Gun 3. KISS 2. Dressed to Kill 1. Dynasty (By a Mile)
Interrsting list and video. Except God of Thunder, most of the live versions are better. Here’s my list, though. 11. Gene 10. Peter 9. Dynasty 8. Paul 7. Ace 6. Kiss (debut) 5. Hotter than hell 4. Love gun 3. Dressed to kill 2. Destroyer 1. Rock and Roll over
I listen to Kiss purely for fun, not for "good" music. That's why I rank Rock and Roll Over, Destroyer, and Love Gun at the top. I agree that the "Alive!" versions are superior to the first three albums, but I rank those next. Ace's solo album comes next, and the other solos and Dynasty don't rank for me at all. All of this has mostly to do with when I first heard of Kiss and when they left me.
Not many people like it. I thought Aces was brilliant and Paul's was very good. I didn't like Gene's at all. Peter's I thought was reasonable. It doesn't deserve the hate it gets.
1. Love Gun 2. Dressed to Kill 3. Ace Frehley 4. Kiss 5. Destroyer 6. Rock and Roll Over 7. Hotter Than Hell 8. Paul Stanley 9. Dynasty 10. Gene Simmons 11. Peter Criss Note: To me there is a big drop-off from Hotter Than Hell to Paul Stanley and beyond. I just don't listen to those albums at all
Again I have to say, it's not a matter of saying better or worst with this list. It's a matter of how often I play the albums in their entirety and without skipping songs. I play Gene's album more often these days than the other two. When I want to hear the Love Gun songs I tend to gravitate towards Alive 2. That's all.
Haha, that's the European pressing, back in the 70s they altered the logo because the double ss looked too Nazi-like. In Germany all of the vinyl pressings have this logo even today.
Месяц назад+4
You got a thumbs down for Love Gun instantly. You have no explanation. Nothing you say puts this that low. Its EASILY one of their best albums. You cant rank live versions of the same songs higher. Thats ridiculous. The you put Dynasty, the KIss disco record HIGHER than Love Gun. You fail dude, hard.
Bah. lol Dynasty isn't a "disco" record, it's got two songs that qualify as being disco at best. Magic Touch, X-Ray Eyes, Save Your Love, Hard Times (one of Ace's best, IMO), 2000 Man, Sure Know Something and Charisma have nothing to do with disco, and are some of my favorite songs of theirs. I'd take the "disco" songs over Then She Kissed Me and Hooligan any day. Christine 16 isn't a strong song but at least the live version has a bit more energy to it. Tomorrow And Tonight rocks live but sounds tepid and forced on the studio album. I stand by my ranking of Love Gun, but I knew people would get all up in arms about it, haha. I've just never cared for that album's sound overall, especially coming after Rock And Roll Over which sounded huge and aggressive....And then listen to how huge and energetic the new songs on side four of Alive II sounded that came after Love Gun. To me, Love Gun pales in comparison. But again, it's still vintage KISS and I still have a love for it, just not as much as the others I put after it. Cheers.
Месяц назад+1
@@GeekingPoetic Dynasty is a disco record, they even admitted it, and 2 songs is 2 too many for a METAL band. Then she kissed me was cool twist on an old song, they did it really well, play it with passion. But you ditching Hooligan over I was made for loving you says all we need to know here lol. FYI, I actually grew up during that era. I roller skated to that crap song. Dynasty is Kiss playing into the Disco craze. Gene even said HE hates that song. That song alone is the biggest black mark on KISS's entire history and album discography. Google "Why is KISS Dynasty their most hated album?" I personally love every song on LG. It was my first rock album, got it when I was 6. I stared at that cover like the kid staring at the leg lamp in Christmas Story. lol
I grew up during that era too (I'm in my 50s) but y'know again, different strokes for different folks. Actually I was thinking more in terms of "Hooligan vs. Dirty Livin" and I personally like Dirty Livin better, great guitar solo in that song. Hooligan always felt kinda clunky to me *shrug* Again man, y'know we can argue about this all day long haha but truth is these are all great albums. Even though I rank Love Gun low on my list, keep in mind that I still like it way more than, well, thousands of other albums out there! I played my Love Gun 8-track hundreds of times ( I actually still have it!) back in the day. It's just not one I listen to very much anymore, like I said I prefer the live versions of those songs and usually I'll only put it on if I want to hear "Almost Human" and "Got Love For Sale", which are two of Gene's last truly killer songs he ever did, I have to admit!
1. Rock and Roll Over 2. Dynasty 3. Love Gun 4. Paul Stanley 5. KISS 6. Ace Frehley 7. Destroyer 8. Hotter Than Hell 9. Dressed to Kill 10. Gene Simmons 11. Peter Criss
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
QUICK NOTE FOR FOLKS HERE: I've had a lot of negative comments from people angry that I'm ranking the albums the way I have and saying that some are better or worse than others, when in fact that is NOT at all what I've said or the point of this video at all. I mentioned in the introduction that I was basing my ranking on how often I still play these albums, especially those that get played from beginning to end, and that's it. I love ALL of these albums, there are no "worst" albums here for me. Just because I put one album at number 11 and another at number 4 doesn't mean one is so much better than the other, it's simply a matter of how often I still play the albums, because some just get played more than others. I try to explain why it is with each album, but overall understand that I am a massive KISS fan and all of these albums are great. And my opinion is subjective and means nothing to anyone but myself anyhow :) This is all just for fun, cheers everyone. - Larry, Geeking Poetic.
No issues with YOUR opinion
Come on Kiss Army , be nice
Dressed To Kill and Rock n' Roll Over are also my top 2. for a long time C' mon and Love Me was my favorite KISS-song. It's so f**kig catchy. The production of Rock n' Roll Over is stellar!
I don’t understand why they stopped playing it live? I’d much rather hear Come on and Love me instead of Say Yeah lol 😂
I love all their albums!
Same here!
I was a huge Kiss freak in the 70s. You couldn't see any part of my bedroom walls because they were covered with all things Kiss! But they were fazed out after Dynasty. I saw the Love Gun tour when i was 11. Alive! Is my favorite album followed by Rock and Roll Over. The 70s rocked for sure. I miss waiting for new records coming out about once a year. Ace rocks...!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! That's amazing you got to see them on the Love Gun tour, I wish I had been able to. Alive! is an incredible album....I might revise this list in the future and add in the live albums too, it felt wrong leaving them out.
@GeekingPoetic Yeah, it was pretty amazing. It was like seeing superheroes in real life! And nothing was cooler than Ace's smoking guitar solo... I'm lucky to have had a great Mom that made it possible.
P.S. thanks for the cool vid!
@@1wickedgroove My mom took me to my first KISS concert too when I was a kid. Hats off to all the cool moms out there who did stuff like that for us! And thanks again for your comments, cheers.
I agree on Dynasty. Fun album, and disco isn't the theme. Just that one hit caused it to be labeled a disco record.
Yeah, even evidenced by some of the replies on this video people still call it the "disco record", which is ridiculous. Imagine if they'd not put those two disco songs on that record and instead put something from Paul and Peter's solo albums on there instead, noone would call it the "disco record" at all. Can't label a whole album after two freakin' songs, but they do it anyways *sigh*
It's crazy to think, there's only five years between the debut album and Dynasty I love how time seemed to go slower back then...
1. Love Gun
2. Dressed to Kill
3. Kiss
4. Hotter than Hell
5. Rock and Roll Over
6. Dynasty
7. Destroyer
8. Paul Stanley
9. Peter Criss
10. Gene Simmons
11. Ace Frehley
Agreed, one of the things I love about music from the Sixties and Seventies especially is to see how these artists grew and changed so much over such a short period of time. Things did seem to just move at a different pace back then!
Ace solo last place?
Dont agree with that.
Nothing beats the 70’s era my favorites are definitely the first 3!!! The first album, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed to Kill.
7 - Dynasty
6 - Dressed To Kill
5 - Destroyer
4 - Love Gun
3 - Rock And Roll Over
2 - Kiss s/t
1 - Hotter Than Hell
Hotter than Hell #1
Agreed.
Totally agree on “Rock and Roll Over” being number 1! Ace’s best work!
Absolutely some of Ace's best, agreed!!
the solo on "Makin' Love" is incredible.
1. Dynasty (1979)
2. Dressed To Kill (1975)
3. Hotter Than Hell (1974)
4. Kiss (1974)
5. Rock And Roll Over (1976)
6. Destroyer (1976)
7. Love Gun (1977)
8. Ace Frehley (1978)
9. Gene Simmons (1978)
10. Paul Stanley (1978)
11. Peter Criss (1978)
Wow what a list At least you got RARO at #1..that was your only saving grace! I like them all but jeez!!!
Gene, Paul and Dynasty higher than Love Gun?? Debut at #7?? What a mess!! 😅
1. RARO
2. Hotter Than Hell
3. Debut
4. Ace
5. Dressed to Kill
6. Destroyer
7. Love Gun
8. Paul
9. Dynasty
10. Gene
11. Peter
Haha, oh well! 😆
I wish they would officially release the 1973 demo. Those songs ended up on the first 2 albums but those demo versions are killer!!! Aces Solos are killer on that demo I know some of the demos were released on the box set but I want a 5 track demo official release
I agree. I really hope in the near future we get a boxset for the first album complete with all the demos and some early live shows, maybe a new remix/remaster of the album too, like they did for Destroyer and Creatures...
Fantastic video... and the fact that you took the time to recreate the border of the1978 trading cards, and make it into a screen border, is a truly inspired touch, well done!
Haha thanks I hoped someone would notice that. Collecting those cards as a kid was a highlight for me so I wanted to include it!
11 - Peter Criss (1978)
10 - Paul Stanley (1978)
9 - Gene Simmons (1978)
8 - Dynasty (1979)
7 - Dressed To Kill (1975)
6 - Love Gun (1977)
5. - Destroyer (1976)
4 - Ace Frehley (1978)
3 - Hotter Than Hell (1974)
2 - Rock And Roll Over (1976)
#1 - KISS (1974)🎉
Almost got everything right except Dynasty being up way higher but great list 😊
Oh such a hard task to critique there vast catalog of awesome tunes ! As far as the solo albums are concerned I have to say that each solo album has its own FLAVOR so it really comes down to my mood for that day, hour etc. One day its all about Ace next day its Gene's etc. That goes for any of the other albums as well. Thank you for another STELLAR episode !!!!!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting. It is very appreciated!
1. Hotter Then Hell
2. Destroyer
3, Dressed To Kill
4. Ace Frehley
5. Rock And Roll Over
6. Kiss
7. Dynasty
8. Love Gun
9. Gene Simmons
10. Paul Stanley
11. Peter Criss
🤘😝🎶
Good list! Thanks for sharing
No matter what order these albums are in, that's all subjective, it shows a great catalogue of rocking music these guys made in such a short period. 11 studio albums in 5/6 years is phenomenal. And I play them all regularly, even Peter's solo album when I am in a more mellow mood. I even have Take Me as my as my ringtone lol
That's exactly right! I mean honestly even asking me to rank then again in the near future and it'll probably change lol. All of these albums are great and the fact that this was all created in such a short amount of time is really amazing. Thanks for the comment!
What you might think about doing is the top album covers of KISS!!
My top 3
Alive
Destroyer
Dress to kill
ROCK N ROLL
all night...
PARTY
every day..
💪👏🍻
Great idea! That's gonna be really tough to rank too.
Great video, Larry! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights! I love checking out album ranking videos. And I'm ecstatic that everyone's preferences are different. Our top two albums just happen to be the same. After that, it's all over the place. However, the point that I'm trying to make is- your list is 100% spot on. Because, it's YOUR list. Everyone's ranking is correct. This is just a testimony to how great of a band KISS is. And what they've meant to all of us, through the years. Hell, you could have put Peter Criss' solo album at number 1, and I still would have hit the thumbs up! And, in reference to your point about the live vs. studio opinion. Completely agree. In fact, to go one tic more extreme. After hearing the Strutter Demo. I have no interest in ever listening to the studio version again. The demo version has more fire and bombast than both the live and studio versions. Also, I really dig the KISS trading card boarder you put around your screen! Great job, brother!
Thanks for your comment and checking out the video! Yes as I said in the video and in the comments here, there is no "correct answer" when it comes to a list like this, the truth is that the only list that matters is your own. Plus I mean, every album here I love to some degree, I certainly have no desire to trash these albums as they mean a lot to me and so many others out there. It's just fun to see how people's favorites compare and contrast! I'll have more ranking videos up soon, and hopefully you'll check 'em out. Cheers!
KISS stopped being KISS after the Love Gun tour.
Hard for me to single one Album out from KISS'S output in the 1970s Love everyone. All the cover art on each album so awesomeness. I absolutely love the Dynasty album cover. Classic photo..I'm a huge fan of all 1978 solo albums. The cover paintings are so iconic and the colour scheme for each member around the hue to match each personality.
Love your list man. All your rankings are cool to me. Cos i love every 70s record they put out....
I totally agree, the artwork and the whole aesthetic of Dynasty really kicks ass. I'm going to do an episode about the album covers here soon actually!
I agree with your #1 100000%! Sooooo damn good top to bottom.
Love the
Peter Criss, my favourite solo album by the band. Peter is an excellent singer and the album is so very soulful. Ace album is also fantastic 👌 Favourite Kiss albums from the 70s Destroyer and the first album 👌
That's awesome, just goes to show how tastes vary. Some people really don't like Peter's album and others think it's the best. I love all the solo albums and go through phases of being hooked on each of them. Thanks for commenting!
I agree with you on your first top two picks both of those albums i never skipped
Fan since 77……
1. Rock And Roll Over
Favorites-
I Want You
Take Me
Calling Dr. Love
Mr. Speed
Makin’ Love
2. Dressed To Kill
Favorites-
Room Service
Ladies In Waiting
Getaway
C’mon And Love Me
Love Her All I Can
She
3. Ace
Favorites
Rip It Out
Snow Blind
Ozone
I’m In Need of Love
Wiped Out
4. KISS-
Favorites
Strutter
Cold Gin
Deuce
100,000 Years
Black Diamond
5. Destroyer
Favorites-
Detroit Rock City
King of The Night Time World
God of Thunder
Sweet Pain
6. Love Gun
Favorites-
I Stole Your Love
Shock Me
Love Gun
Almost Human
7. Hotter Than Hell
Favorites-
Parasite
Hotter Than Hell
All The Way
Watchin’ You
Strange Ways
8. Paul
Favorites-
Tonight You Belong To Me
Take Me Away
It’s Alright
Goodbye
9. Dynasty
Favorites-
2,000 Man
Charisma
Magic Touch
Hard Times
10. Gene
Favorites-
Radioactive
See You Tonite
Mr. Make Believe
11. Peter
Favorites-
I’m Gonna Love You
I Can’t Stop The Rain
That's a great list! I agree with a lot of your song choices too, excellent.
FWIW-
11. Peter Criss
10. Gene Simmons
9. Paul Stanley
8. Dynasty
7. Love Gun
6. Ace Frehley
5. Destroyer
4. Dressed To Kill
3. Rock And Roll Over
2. Kiss
1. Hotter Than Hell
Appreciate the list, thanks!
It's impossible to objectively rank ANY music and have everyone "on board" with your opinion. Kudos to you for putting this out there.
Yeah exactly, I've been a fan since the 70s and have had many real-life debates and arguments with other fans over this topic for years, and as you can see by the lists people have shared here we're all so different in our tastes and preferences. To me that's part of what makes listening to KISS so great, it isn't a stale or same-y catalog by any means, can appeal to so many different tastes and moods but still somehow always sounds like KISS, at least to me! Thanks for the comment and checking out the video.
1- Kiss debut
2 Hotter then hell
3 Dressed to kill
4 Rock and roll over
5 Love gun
6 Ace Frehley
7 Destroyer
8 Peter Criss
9 Dynasty,
10 Paul Stanley
11 Gene Simmons
1 Kiss
2 Hotter than hell
3 Destroyer
4 Love Gun
5 RARO
6 Dynasty
7 DTK
No disrespect,but if you’re not including the live albums. Why compare the studio versions to them? I think most would agree that the live versions are better. But I think if you’re taking them out .Then the studio albums should stand alone.
Alright I understand your point. It's not really so much about comparing, in as much as just talking about how I prefer to hear the songs. But I understand where you're coming from. Thinking about it from that angle, yeah, it might have made sense to just include Alive one and two. Appreciate your feedback and thanks for checking out the video!
@@GeekingPoeticYou needed to pretend there were “no” live versions because you didn’t include live albums. So all you are left with is the studio versions!
Yeah, I can see that way of thinking about it. Honestly at this point after seeing the responses and thinking on it, I would've just added the two live albums into the mix. It's just a silly YT video that has no importance thankfully, haha! But I might revisit this again, especially since I've gotten so many good responses with people's own lists I want to highlight their choices and I might revise my own. Especially going forward with other ranking lists I have planned. I appreciate the input and insight there, honestly, thanks for commenting and watching!
Alive and alive 2 rip everyone knows that it's just studio stuff
@GeekingPoetic you forgot unmasked.
So glad the solos were in there. Frehleys first still gets played constantly.....I just started.. so when I'm done with this episode. I will post my list
As a KISS fan of 51 years, i first saw them live one early 1974 afternoon after school when the Mike Douglas tv show came on, they played 3 hard tunes and i was hooked ! i was immediately an Ace Frehley fan cause he had those bitchin silver stars around his eyes, perfect ! Very difficult to choose worst to first but you have some great points on your picks . For me 100,000 years studio version is one of Paul Stanleys greatest ever opening riffs, Ace did not arrange the start of the tune as happened on many well known KISS classics. For a better perspective on KISSes early albums versus later productions it's best to read the book by Chris K. Lendt titled 'KISS and SELL' , it explains many of the faults of the early KISS albums such as Kenny Kerner and Ritchie Wise were only board ops and not experienced at all in album production, Eddie Kramer states that he passed on producing Boston's first LP to work on KISS es LP because KISS seemed like a bigger challenge, only one problem, Eddie only mixed KISSes first LP and did not actually record the studio tracks, so any opportunity to make their first LPs sound sonically great went out the window. Dressed to Kill was infinitely better than the first 2 albums due to Neil Bogart was failing financially and wanted more control over how KISS were being not only produced but also recorded, so Kerner and Wise were left out of the studio by Bogart on purpose and he took over the studio. Once Alive! hit big the band sought more creative control over the tunes being selected as Ace and Peter would not show up more and more for recording sessions, it's really not a slight on Ace and Peter, producers like Bob Ezrin were not happy with their recordings and studio tracks and they were being left out entirely by the time Destroyer was finished. More and more guitarists like Rick Derringer and Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter were filling in at the studio and session drummers like Carmen Appice were filling in as well, Ezrin weeded out most of the what KISS themselves recorded and replaced it with lavish studio session tracks that were to his liking, that's why i can only rank Destroyer in the bottom 5 albums, it's a great record, just not a great KISS record. Rock n' Roll Over was great because Corky Stastiak who worked for Eddie Kramer saw to it that the album was back to KISSes roots and that it sounded great sonically. By the time Dynasty was recorded that's not Peter at all on the album, that's Anton Fig, a close friend of Ace, Peter was in no shape to play drums at all due to substance abuse and 2 car wrecks that physically kept Peter from playing drums at all. Peter hung out with John Belushi, which at the time could be considered hazardous to ones health as cocaine was on tap. i put Ace Frehley's solo album at the top of my list as it was mainly Ace and only Ace that played and recorded his album on his own, he spent a month at the old Colgate mansion , that's where he and Eddie Kramer found an old Russ Ballard record with the tune New York Groove on it, Ace wasn't sure about the tune but Eddie thought it fit him the best. My opinion of solidly ranking the albums changes often, usually after hearing KISS themselves give opinions on those studio albums and how they were not only recorded but which albums sold well, it is Gene Simmons after all and money is a guiding factor when considering whether an album was done right. As someone who grew up listening and buying KISS records all the time i can tell you there is not one definite album that does it for me, it's the compilation of tunes and how they fit the bands history that makes me keep listening to them years later. I still have all my original KISS albums, some are signed by the band, some KISS LPs are rare issues and hard to find, i have met KISS over 8 times, 4 times were the original 1970s lineup, i still cherish the 2 times i met Eric Carr (Paul Carvello) R.I.P. , i still consider him just as much a part of KISS as any of the rest. The 1970s albums i still love so i will not pick any numerical order as each album has at least 2 tunes on it i love and still listen to, if you have your own opinion though that's just as valid, and yes, i still have all the original KISS cards, both volumes ! Quote : "Does anyone wanna get themselves KISSed ?"
Thanks Jesse, and yeah honestly for me there is no worst on this list. I think all of these albums are great that's why basically I just ranked them from the ones I still play the least to the ones that I still play the most... but make no mistake I still play and love them all!
On KISS Vinyl, I have Alive! (1975) coming in. I'm 29, so I never had a chance to get this when it was first released and I'm very excited to spin it on my (admittedly cheap) record player. My only problem with the used vinyl I have coming in is that it's missing its booklet :( going to have to buy it separate so I have the total package. I'd like to get some of the vintage action figures, but I'm going to go that route after I get the albums up until 1982 on vinyl (might return to collecting post-Ace stuff, but Ace is my favorite, so I'm less inclined to collect the rest).
Nice, yeah I love that booklet that came with Alive, that was one of my earliest memories of the band when I saw that booklet that belonged to a friend's older brother back then, he played me the album while I stared at the pics in the booklet and I was hooked!
@ its a vital piece of that album I agree! I probably could have gotten a better price or gotten a complete set if I shopped around, but I’ll be honest as soon as my post-Christmas paycheck hit it was an impulse buy lol. Hopefully finding the booklet wont be too difficult.
1. Destroyer
2. KISS
3. Dynasty
4. Ace Frehley
5. Dressed To Kill
6. Rock And Roll Over
7. Hotter Than Hell
8. Love Gun
9. Paul Stanley
10. Peter Criss
11. Gene Simmons
I'd argue DTK has the best production of all their studio albums. Every instrument is recorded perfectly. Great album from KISS!!
You might be right. It's certainly the best production for that batch of songs, they sound perfect.
I love DtK and its 'bubblegum' sound, I think this would have suited most '70s Kiss songs overall very well. I certainly prefer it to Ezrin's echoing production style, never felt it suited Kiss. I even prefer HtH's dungeon sound to Destroyer, it just keeps sinking in my rankings so many fillers on that album with one track in particular worth it all, the opening song of course.
Yeah, even though I do love Destroyer in it's own right, I definitely prefer the sound of Dressed To Kill. DTK just leaps out of the speakers and makes those songs sound so vibrant in the best way.
Got into KISS in early/mid 80’s when I was a kid. First KISS album I heard in full was Dressed To Kill. The first one I owned was Animalize.
Here’s my ranking of the same eleven 70’s albums:
1) Hotter Than Hell
2) KISS
3) Destroyer
4) Dressed To Kill
5) Paul Stanley
6) Gene Simmons
7) Rock And Roll Over
8) Love Gun
9) Dynasty
10) Ace Frehley
11) Peter Criss
My Top 20 KISS songs:
1) Detroit Rock City
2) I Still Love You
3) Not For The Innocent
4) I’ve Had Enough (Into The Fire)
5) Black Diamond
6) Naked City
7) Watching You
8) Deuce
9) Keep Me Comin’
10) The Oath
11) Parasite
12) God Of Thunder
13) I Love It Loud
14) Under The Rose
15) Love Her All I Can
16) War Machine
17) She
18) Young And Wasted
19) Flaming Youth
20) Creatures Of The Night
Awesome lists thanks for sharing!
Dressed to kill is my favourite. I am not a Paul fan so rocking roll over is down on my list at 5.Hotter than hell 2 Kiss debut number 3 ace number4 rocking roll over 5.Destroyer 6
I saw my first Kiss concert in Oakland, Ca, 1976. I was 17. Though I wasn't a big fan and I'm still not of Destroyer it did get the girls listening to Kiss. That and some of Dynasty.
I realize too the live versions of what's the first Kiss album are probably better, for the most part, but you can't ignore the quality of the songs. I "spin" that one the most.
Thank you for your video.
Oh no without a doubt, like I said in the video the songs on the 1st album are stellar. I think people misunderstood my intention a bit and that's my fault, I should've made it more clear.....when I mention that I prefer the live versions, I'm explaining why I just don't spin that album too much anymore, simply because when I want to hear those songs I'd rather hear the live versions. But in no way is that meant to denigrate the importance or awesomeness of the studio versions in most instances! I ranked these primarily based upon which albums I spin the most frequently and from beginning to end.....not meant to be indicating that any of these albums are "bad" or "worst". They're all great! I should've done a better job making that clear I guess, but I'm still learning :) Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Love Gun #10!?!?!?
Haha yep I said in the video I knew that'd rile people up :D I stand by my reaons, honestly that album just doesn't get spun by me too often except when wanting to hear a couple of specific songs (Almost Human and Got Love For Sale particularly, so good!)
Make-up era studio list
12. PC solo / MFTE (tied)
11. Rock And Roll Over
10. GS solo
9. Love Gun
8. Dynasty
7. Unmasked
6. PS solo
5. AF solo
4. Hotter Then Hell
3. KISS s/t
2. Destroyer
1. Dressed To Kill
Loved this video! 100% Agree w/your opinion on production of love gun and Hotter.
11. PC solo
10. PS solo
9. GS solo
Ok now people gonna get judgey
8. Hotter than hell
7.Dressed to kill
6. Dynasty
5.AF solo
4. Rock & rollover
3. Destroyer
2. Love gun
1. Kiss
As of 2025. I only listen to both alive 1 and 2. Ace frehley s. Solo album. Paul Stanley s solo album. And your top two albums. As far their 70s albums. And when I'm in the mood to hear some RNB then i occasionally will play peter s but as a regular basis the ones i mentioned i still play in 2025.
Rock and Roll Over is my favorite album as well...
...I finally came across someone who agrees with me on my #1 and #2 favorite Kiss albums...after that, we wildly disagree...#3 - Hotter Than Hell...#4 - Paul's solo album...#5 - Destroyer...#6 - Ace's solo album...#7 - Love Gun...#8 - s/t debut...#9 - Dynasty...#10 - Gene's solo album...#11 - Pete's solo album...
Wow that's cool to see you put Paul's album so high. There are times when I listen to that one a lot. This list just reflects where I'm currently at in terms of how often I play these albums, but I like them all regardless. Thanks for viewing!
@@GeekingPoetic I think Paul's songwriting is outstanding on his solo album...his vocals on "Take Me Away (Together As One) are amongst some of the best he's ever rcorded...as for "Hold Me, Touch Me," it's my wife's & I "song"...long distance dating situations, so it has relevance. I won't bore you with my reasons for placing the other albums where I do...:0)
When they remastered the catalog in 1997 I snagged all 4 solo albums cause I kept hearing the Japanese market was issuing mini LP versions in 1998. I believe with most of the world the ‘97 reissues are still the common release. As they were only around for about a year in Japan I can’t bring myself to open them lol I still have all 4 Japan 1997 solo cds still sealed with OBI. I have all of the USA cds so I can still listen to them. Really Aces solo is the only one I listen to regularly lol I also still have my Strutter 3” mini cd set (5 cds) I’m sure you have this as well. All 5 cds have the same 3 tracks. Each member has their own cover and a group cover. I love how Paul has his original Bandit make up on 🔥🔥🔥
Yeah Aces album is the one that I by far listen to the most frequently, for good reason haha. I think those Japanese releases are awesome, I have to stop myself from going down that rabbit hole because there's so much cool stuff to collect from Japan
Hotter Than Hell has the best riffs, and the proto punk/garage rock style of production lended the release some street cred, along the lines of albums from The New York Dolls and The Stooges. It's down and dirty, but all killer no filler, and I'd rank it as my personal fav, with their debut coming in a very close second.
Cool video!
My current ranking:
11-Peter Criss
10-Gene Simmons
9-Dynasty
8-Love Gun
7-Dressed To Kill
6-Ace Frehley
5-Destroyer
4-Paul Stanley
3-Rock And Roll Over
2-Hotter Than Hell
1-Kiss
Interesting line up dude! Total respect! I like seeing how similar and different everyone is.
Yep, that's the point of the whole thing really, just shows how there is no "definitive" ranking, least of all my own ranking. It's just my personal preference, that's all. Every album on the list I think is great in it's own right.
Love Dynasty regardless
This might sound a bit out of the ordinary, but I think a Rock and Roll Over milling machine saw blade should be made, as I think that's what it looks like on the cover. I would also rank Dynasty up there with Destroyer, as I think they both sound like a KISS album with a touch of class. I like the harmonic singing on Sure Know Something, Dirty Livin and X-ray Eyes.
I say.. 1 Hotter than hell. 2 Dressed to kill and 3 Dynasty.
I love all these albums that I know I don't know the solo albums The song "I Was Made for Loving You" is the one that got me started loving Kiss must be the do do do part it just grabs you. don't care if people think its disco
Lots of Kiss fans started listening to them when Dynasty came out, you're not alone. Nothing wrong with that!
I AGREE WITH ROCK 'N ROLL OVER AND DRESSED TO KILL AS WELL AS THE ACE SOLO ALBUM BUT I WOULD PUT LOVE GUN AND HOTTER THAN HELL AT 3 AND 4 AFTER DRESSED TO KILL.
Great KISS music subject. I truly respect your ranking of them, we all have our opinions. Now that that’s out of the way … NO WAY Gene and Peter’s album are getting ranked above Love Gun by anybody with more than one half deaf ear. HAHA! Just giving ya the biz, dude. Great vid. RAWK! 🤘🏾BTW … RARO is my #1 pick also, (with “Take Me” being fav KISS song ever …. Another tough choice.)
Haha man I understand, I do actually love the Love Gun album but I just don't play it too much anymore, I mostly play the live tracks from Alive II (or other sources) and only really revisit LG to hear "Almost Human" and "Got Love For Sale", two of my favorite Gene albums. Yeah I mean honestly, I could do this list a month from now and probably wind up shuffling the list by then because it's all down to my mood and listening habits at the time, I love 'em all! Thanks for the comment dude, cheers.
Love Gun is one of their best.
* If we were including the live albums I’d place Alive 2 in the number 2 position and Alive 1 in the number 5 position.
11. Peter Criss
10. Gene Simmons
09. Paul Stanley
08. Hotter Than Hell
07. Ace Frehley
06. KISS
05. Dressed To Kill
04. Love Gun
03. Dynasty
02. Rock & Roll Over
01. Destroyer
Oh nice, that's interesting to see you'd place Alive II ahead of the first Alive! Honestly I go back and forth with that myself.....love 'em both and kinda for different reasons at times (I love the studio songs on Alive II especially). Most people seem to prefer Alive!.....I'm planning on doing a new video here soon where I'll be discussing the live albums, so I've got a lot of thought to put into this....thanks for commenting!
@@GeekingPoetic I like both live albums a lot. I just prefer the Destroyer, R&RO, Love Gun era over the early era. I agree with you that the live versions of most songs are stronger than the stiff, clean studio versions - which is why I place Alive 2 at the #2 position. I like all of these records a lot, start to finish - except Peter’s record. I enjoy a wide variety of musical styles, but I find Peter’s solo album unlistenable.
I need to give Ace's solo album a relisten. I can spin Paul's record all the way through.And a vocalist myself sing along. I would put Rock and Roll Over on top. Dressed to Kill and Dynasty. I have my issues with the sound on their earlier recordings. Great episode.
Thanks for checking it out! Yeah since I recorded this I actually listened to Paul's album once more, it's damn good for sure.
@GeekingPoetic When I'm asked which is my favorite KISS record. I reply with Paul Stanley.
Here's my list, not including the solo releases:
1. Dressed to Kill
2. Destroyer
3. Rock and Roll Over
4. Love Gun
5. Kiss
6. Hotter than Hell
7. Dynasty
Very nice! Love to see people putting Dressed to Kill at the top. Some days that's my number one as well!
Kiss
Dressed to Kill
Hottee than Hell
Dynasty
Ace Frehley
Paul Stanley
Rock n Roll Over
Destroyer
Love Gun
Peter Criss
Gene Simmons
Dressed to Kill is my Number One
I’d have Gene Simmons dead last. There’s some good songs on it but man there’s some crap on it. I’m surprised you have it in front of Paul’s and Love Gun which are way better for me. My number one is Rock n Roll Over like you, then Destroyer and then Kiss. Dressed To Kill is actually my least favourite 70s Kiss album. Feels rushed or something. I do like all these albums though and I respect your reasons and opinions
No worries I appreciate the input! I mean honestly, I love all these albums haha.
I love KISS. I must object that the solo albums be included. They are most certainly not KISS albums. On that note, in my humble opinion, Paul's is by far the best.
Yeah I've gone back and forth on that one myself over the years. I included them because like I said, the band themselves have stated that those albums are to be considered part of the official KISS discography so I put them in there. Paul's is definitely the most KISS-like, overall.
Thanks for showing respect while reviewing Peter's album. I'm sure if it had not been one of the first albums (of anyone) I bought (at 9 y.o.), I'd have a similar view, comparing it to others. I love the album, but it belongs near the bottom. Gene's belongs at the bottom. WYWUAS is embarrassing (although sung well) and Radioactive is sooooo overrated.
Peter's album is great in it's own right, I do enjoy it I just don't listen to it that much except when I'm really in that R&B mood. As for Gene's, like I said I really like the diversity of it, it IS an unusual record and I think that's why I like it so much, but I agree there's a few songs on there that are "meh" to me. I appreciate the sentiment and reasons behind why he did the Disney song, but it's not one I need to sit around and listen to often, haha. Thanks for watching!
I actually heard the demos of those 70s albums and some of them sound better than the actual albums especially the first album and the hotter than hell album.
Destroyer
Rock and Roll Over
Ace
Love Gun
Kiss
Hotter
Dresssed
Dynasty
Paul
Gene
Peter
So This is not official like Hit Paraders top 100 or any guitar magazine top 15 essential albums?
I would take the debut over Lick it up , over Animalize, Asylum, creatures of the night. the debut rocks.
it's your list
My list.
8. Unmasked that album has a 70's feeling so i'm including that
7. Dynasty a great album love hearing that album
6. Dressed to kill a fantastic album
5.. Rock n roll all over another great album
4.. Love gun No let downs here
3.. Hotter than he l l l
2. these 2 can be inter changed
1. Destroyer
my 6th place album on most other bands list would be in first place some exceptions
Def Leppard 1981 to 1987
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Iron Maiden- beast, Piece of mind , 7th son
Van Halen -1
it was a fun list but a hard list to do
Nope love gun too low behind gene solo?
Agree. Ridiculous ranking.
I find myself wanting to put on the Gene record more often than Love Gun, even though both records have songs I'll gladly skip. If Love Gun's production and energy was at the level of, say, the studio songs on Side Four of Alive II I think it'd rank higher for me. But honestly if I never heard Then She Kissed Me, Hooligan, or Christine 16 again in my life I think I'd be ok with that haha But again, in essence I do love all of these albums to a degree and they're all special to me. Cheers.
11. Gene Simmons
10. Peter Criss
9. Paul Stanley
8. Love Gun
7. Destroyer
6. Dynasty
5. Kiss
4. Hotter Than Hell
3. Dressed To Kill
2. Ace Frehley
1. Rock And Roll Over
Kiss got crap for “going disco” on Dynasty. I only hear 3 songs with a disco vibe. It is a great rock album as far as “pop.”
I agree with this ranking 98%. Peter Criss's solo is shit. Rock and Roll Over is best. I would have flipped the positions of the Gene and Paul solos. I'm thrilled that I'm not the only one that thinks Hotter Than Hell sounds like it was recorded over the phone (plus it has awful album art).
Before watching I will rank mine:
11. Peter Criss (by a mile)
10. Gene Simmons
9. Hotter Than Hell
8. Destroyer
7. Paul Stanley
6. Rock n Roll Over
5. Ace Frehley
4. Love Gun
3. KISS
2. Dressed to Kill
1. Dynasty (By a Mile)
Interrsting list and video. Except God of Thunder, most of the live versions are better. Here’s my list, though.
11. Gene
10. Peter
9. Dynasty
8. Paul
7. Ace
6. Kiss (debut)
5. Hotter than hell
4. Love gun
3. Dressed to kill
2. Destroyer
1. Rock and Roll over
I listen to Kiss purely for fun, not for "good" music. That's why I rank Rock and Roll Over, Destroyer, and Love Gun at the top. I agree that the "Alive!" versions are superior to the first three albums, but I rank those next. Ace's solo album comes next, and the other solos and Dynasty don't rank for me at all. All of this has mostly to do with when I first heard of Kiss and when they left me.
11 peter criss 10 gene 9 Paul ace tie dynasty hotter dressed to kill love gun rock n roll over kiss destroyer
I can not see myself ever listening to "Hotter Than Hell" again. It just sounds so awful.
I think peter criss solo album is the best solo album
It's my #2 solo album.
Not many people like it. I thought Aces was brilliant and Paul's was very good. I didn't like Gene's at all. Peter's I thought was reasonable. It doesn't deserve the hate it gets.
I would rank the Elder #1, can I do that?
Haha, well, except that's not Seventies, and I know you'd be lying 🤣 But I wouldn't put it past you to put Unmasked up there!
1. Love Gun
2. Dressed to Kill
3. Ace Frehley
4. Kiss
5. Destroyer
6. Rock and Roll Over
7. Hotter Than Hell
8. Paul Stanley
9. Dynasty
10. Gene Simmons
11. Peter Criss
Note: To me there is a big drop-off from Hotter Than Hell to Paul Stanley and beyond. I just don't listen to those albums at all
You chose genes solo over Peter Criss and love gun. You are freakin nuts
Again I have to say, it's not a matter of saying better or worst with this list. It's a matter of how often I play the albums in their entirety and without skipping songs. I play Gene's album more often these days than the other two. When I want to hear the Love Gun songs I tend to gravitate towards Alive 2. That's all.
The version of the Destroyer album you hold has a fucked up KISS logo on it. Heresy.
Haha, that's the European pressing, back in the 70s they altered the logo because the double ss looked too Nazi-like. In Germany all of the vinyl pressings have this logo even today.
You got a thumbs down for Love Gun instantly. You have no explanation. Nothing you say puts this that low. Its EASILY one of their best albums. You cant rank live versions of the same songs higher. Thats ridiculous. The you put Dynasty, the KIss disco record HIGHER than Love Gun. You fail dude, hard.
Bah. lol Dynasty isn't a "disco" record, it's got two songs that qualify as being disco at best. Magic Touch, X-Ray Eyes, Save Your Love, Hard Times (one of Ace's best, IMO), 2000 Man, Sure Know Something and Charisma have nothing to do with disco, and are some of my favorite songs of theirs. I'd take the "disco" songs over Then She Kissed Me and Hooligan any day. Christine 16 isn't a strong song but at least the live version has a bit more energy to it. Tomorrow And Tonight rocks live but sounds tepid and forced on the studio album. I stand by my ranking of Love Gun, but I knew people would get all up in arms about it, haha. I've just never cared for that album's sound overall, especially coming after Rock And Roll Over which sounded huge and aggressive....And then listen to how huge and energetic the new songs on side four of Alive II sounded that came after Love Gun. To me, Love Gun pales in comparison. But again, it's still vintage KISS and I still have a love for it, just not as much as the others I put after it. Cheers.
@@GeekingPoetic Dynasty is a disco record, they even admitted it, and 2 songs is 2 too many for a METAL band. Then she kissed me was cool twist on an old song, they did it really well, play it with passion. But you ditching Hooligan over I was made for loving you says all we need to know here lol. FYI, I actually grew up during that era. I roller skated to that crap song. Dynasty is Kiss playing into the Disco craze. Gene even said HE hates that song. That song alone is the biggest black mark on KISS's entire history and album discography. Google "Why is KISS Dynasty their most hated album?" I personally love every song on LG. It was my first rock album, got it when I was 6. I stared at that cover like the kid staring at the leg lamp in Christmas Story. lol
I grew up during that era too (I'm in my 50s) but y'know again, different strokes for different folks. Actually I was thinking more in terms of "Hooligan vs. Dirty Livin" and I personally like Dirty Livin better, great guitar solo in that song. Hooligan always felt kinda clunky to me *shrug* Again man, y'know we can argue about this all day long haha but truth is these are all great albums. Even though I rank Love Gun low on my list, keep in mind that I still like it way more than, well, thousands of other albums out there! I played my Love Gun 8-track hundreds of times ( I actually still have it!) back in the day. It's just not one I listen to very much anymore, like I said I prefer the live versions of those songs and usually I'll only put it on if I want to hear "Almost Human" and "Got Love For Sale", which are two of Gene's last truly killer songs he ever did, I have to admit!
Genes album should only be used to scoop up horse manure
1. Rock and Roll Over
2. Dynasty
3. Love Gun
4. Paul Stanley
5. KISS
6. Ace Frehley
7. Destroyer
8. Hotter Than Hell
9. Dressed to Kill
10. Gene Simmons
11. Peter Criss