Top 10 KISS Albums....

Top 10, this time, KISS albums. No....not including Live Albums....but their STUDIO ALBUMS...


10 'Rock And Roll Over' (1976)
The follow up to their 'Destroyer' album and a more back to basics KISS. Famously it was recorded in an old Theatre in New York, with Peter Criss recording his drums in the bathroom. Whatever. It worked a treat. Some great tunes - 'I Want You', 'Take Me', 'Calling Dr Love', 'Ladies Room', 'Hard Luck Woman' and 'Makin' Love' - make it a really great collection for album no. 5 for them.


9 'Dressed To Kill' (1975)
Personally, I've always had this as one of the best productions of the band's career! Recorded by their label boss, Neil Bogart, as the label couldn't afford a 'name' producer, it's a lively, clear affair. With songs like 'Room Service' (my fav!), 'Rock Bottom', 'C'mon And Love Me', 'She' and the original version of 'Rock And Roll All Nite' you really couldn't go wrong.


8 'Asylum' (1985)
KISS, sans make-up, made some of their very best music in the 80's. They felt, at the time, that they were playing 'catch up' with big hitters like Bon Jovi and Motley Crue, which is a shame really as they were in a league of 1. Cool songs like 'King Of The Mountain', 'Who Wants To Be Lonely', 'Tears Are Falling' and, my fav on the album, 'Uh! All Night' make it a good investment of your listening time. The production? A Little too trebly for moi, but good songs are good songs, as we shall find out...


7 'Animalize' (1984)
The production isn't the best - sorry, Paul Stanley - but, my god...what great songs! 'I've Had Enough (Into The Fire)', 'Lonely Is The Hunter', 'Under The Gun', 'Thrills In The Night' and, my goodness, is there a better intro than on 'Heaven's On Fire'?!? Please do point it out for me! Great album!


6 'Hotter Than Hell' (1974)
Remember what I said about production? Yea gods, what on earth is that drum sound? Hitting a table 10 miles away?!? Bad...but, it's about the songs (man!), and they're here in abundance. 'Got To Choose', 'Parasite', 'Goin' Blind', 'Hotter Than Hell' and...oh, just all of them.


5 'Love Gun' (1977)
The first KISS album I bought. Thankfully they had Eddie Kramer on board so they made a great inroad with the sound of these fine songs. 'I Stole Your Love', 'Christine Sixteen', 'Shock Me', 'Tomorrow And Tonight', 'Love Gun', 'Plaster Caster'. Wonderful! Ace Frehley, you beauty!


4 'Revenge' (1992)
It's all about 2 words; Bob Ezrin...Killer Tunes...Great Album. From 'Unholy', 'Take It Off' (my fav) and onwards. Fierce. KISS had something to prove. 'God Gave Rock And Roll To You II' gave them yet another Gold album and another hit single. Wonderful.


3 Destroyer (1976)
It's that guy again, Bob Ezrin. His first time with KISS and what a wonderful album - great artwork on the sleeve, great production and great songs! 'Detroit Rock City'....oh, ok, a better intro than 'Heaven's...' but the whole album is just like a movie in sound. 'God Of Thunder', 'Shout It Out Loud', 'Beth', 'Do You Love Me?'. Fantastic.


2 'Lick It Up' (1983)
Although 'Love Gun' was the first album I had bought, I had the 'Lick It Up' single before that. 'Lick It Up', the album, came after the unmasking and their 'Creatures...' album from 1982. The producer, Michael James Jackson was kept on, thank goodness, and new guy, guitarist Vinnie Vincent was front and centre. Now, lots have been said about Vinnie, as a person..and as a player....but, as a writer? KISS wrote some of the very best songs in their arsenal. 'Exciter', 'All Hell's Breaking Loose', 'Fits Like A Glove'. The production fits like a glove. A great return album for KISS, from the wilderness years.


1 'Kiss' (1974)
Feb 18th. That marked a special day. The day the album was released. Once more, another poor production, but those songs shine out. So many classics - 'Strutter', 'Nothin' To Lose', 'Firehouse', 'Cold Gin', 'Deuce', '100,000 Years', 'Black Diamond'. More than just the foundation or the template....this is what makes them legendary.

..and so, there you have it. The top 10, as picked by moi, of KISS albums....feel free to put your own thoughts and feelings....let's discuss, eh?

SJD 🥰