Following the success of ABBA Voyage, veteran rock band KISS is set to headline a series of digital/virtual concerts after agreeing to sell its name, brand, and intellectual property. Kiss has sold its catalog—which includes music, name, and related visuals (including the band’s iconic makeup designs)—to Pophouse Entertainment, the Sweden-based music investment firm behind the “Voyage” concert featuring CGI holograms of the band ABBA. While terms of the deal have not been released, Bloomberg and the Associated Press have reported that the deal is worth up to $300 million.

KISS – The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 for their contributions to the genre

In a statement, Pophouse said it plans to promote the band’s “iconic music, enigmatic personalities and expressive image for generations to come.” Indeed, news of the deal comes just four months after Kiss revealed plans and aspirations for an iconic concert without the band performing in person, similar to ABBA’s digital versions of its members.

“Our partnership will combine KISS’ rich history and iconic status with cutting-edge technology, allowing current and future fans to experience the band’s performances and interact with them like never before,” said Pophouse CEO Per Sundin.

Since its London debut in July 2022, the “ABBA Voyage” concert has grossed more than $1 million a week, and Universal Music chairman Lucian Grainge has announced plans to take the show around the world in 2023, with Las Vegas rumored to be the first stop. ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus is a co-founder of Pophouse, which in the past two years has also acquired the catalogues of the late Swedish DJ Avicii, electronic group Swedish House Mafia and American singer Cyndi Lauper.

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Kiss teased a future digital performance at the final concert of their End of the Road tour in New York in 2023. The band’s first digital performance is scheduled to go live in 2027.

Kiss co-founder Gene Simmons said: “We’ve always been breaking new ground in pop culture, and this partnership will ensure that we’ll continue to do so for years to come. Because what Pophouse does is break the rules to create something more magical. We’ve got a number of plans in the works.”

The band’s first CGI images

KISS was formed by Simmons and co-founder Paul Stanley in 1973 after working together in a group called Wicked Lester. Kiss signed to Neil Bogart’s Casablanca Records that same year and by the mid-1970s had become one of the biggest bands in the world, with their fantastical visuals, eye-catching concerts and catchy, somewhat “traditional” rock music capturing the imagination and hearts of millions of teenagers. While the original lineup featured lead guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss (who later co-wrote and sang “Beth,” the band’s uncharacteristic 1976 ballad that became their biggest hit), the pair left the group in the early 1980s. Simmons and Stanley remained the band’s “masterminds,” continuing to work with hired musicians in the decades that followed. Kiss’s greatest influence on the entertainment industry has arguably been its image and performance (as well as its marketing acumen), and Pophouse’s acquisition plans reflect that in part.

Per Sundin of the deal, “Kiss have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and throughout their 50-year career, they have continued to push the boundaries of popular culture. The band’s enigmatic personalities, unparalleled attributes and iconic imagery have made them a cultural force and a legendary artist with multigenerational appeal.

“We will protect and enrich this legacy through future global efforts, by breathing new life into their characters and personalities, while leveraging and enhancing the visual world of KISS.”