Kiss: Worst to Best - Albums Ranked! 

Yes I was a big KISS fan as a kid growing up in the 70’s but I grew out of it pretty quickly. I still love the 70’s Albums and Destroyer is my absolute favorite. Anything after the 70’s you can have. Great video.

Paul Stanley's solo record is an overlooked gem (Ace's steals all the press) In so much as it feels and sounds like a natural progression from Love Gun.

Creatures of the night is my favorite. What a great album that is.

The studio tracks on side 4 of Alive II were strong tunes as well... Rocket Ride, All American Man... Etc..

KISS ALIVE was released and I never looked back. Thank you KISS!

I love Music From The Elder it's actually in my top 10 easily.

Fascinating hearing a Brit talk about KISS. I was/am a huge of fan of their 70's albums. As I have aged (54) I have a new appreciation of music from my youth. Love Gun and Destroyer are my favorites.

Kiss Alive! Had just pure energy always makes you feel like your there with them

I am an original fan that left the fold in 1980 and after watching your review I HAD to listen to Creatures of the Night. It is hard to believe that they recorded Dynasty just a few years prior. They sound so vital here.

I’ve always just been a fan of the pre-Unmasked stuff. However, this list is making me realize I should probably give Creatures Of The Night and Lick It Up a chance too

“Rock and Roll Over” hands down is Kiss’ best album! Songs like “Sweet Pain” and “Great Expectations” destroy the “Destroyer” album. I would even rate “Love Gun” at #2 then “Destroyer” tied with “Dressed to Kill” at # 3.

1. Creatures Of The Night 2. Lick It Up 3. Ace solo 4. Kiss debut 5. Love Gun 6. Rock & Roll Over 7. Hotter Than Hell 8. Dynasty 9. Dressed To Kill 10. Destroyer 11. The Elder 12. Revenge 13. Asylum 14. Paul solo 15. Unmasked 16. Psycho Circus 17. Animalize 18. Monster 19. Gene solo 20. Carnival Of Souls 21. Sonic Boom 22. Hot In The Shade 23. Crazy Nights 24. Peter solo 1-3 are definite, 4-10 could change on any given day.

I think its funny how so many Kiss fans say they hated Disco-kiss, but look on Spotify and "I was made for loving you" is the most popular Kiss song. There's the proof - it's an awesome song!

Vinnie played lead on Creatures. Wiki: Vinnie Vincent - lead guitar on "Saint and Sinner", "Keep Me Comin'", "Danger", "I Love It Loud", "Killer," and "War Machine" Best albums: Produced by Eddie Kramer. He also produced the Kiss demo in 1973.

Ace and Peter played on Into The Void. Ace and Peter sang on You Wanted The Best.

I like your ranking. While it’s not exactly the same as mine it’s not too far off. Carnival Of Souls is my bottom one and I’d swap Lick It Up with KISS. Asylum and Psycho Circus are their most underrated albums. My favourites are Rock n Roll Over and Creatures Of The Night

This man has sat through all of Kiss's albums, and that alone, deserves respect.

The first Kiss album is epic.

I still love kiss. Wonderful fun band! Unmasked is great pop. But not typical kiss. Sonic boom was solid.

Kiss was my first concert at the age of 14 in 1975. To this day I still get that rush of excitement whenever I am walking into a concert that I felt that night! I like the first 3 or 4 albums after that I graduated to better bands Aerosmith...

🎉 excellent narrator...kiss tracks are cool 🧸 excellent rock n roll 🥐 quality..70's albums are lit .. jewels

I would rate Dynast higher. I love sure know something and i was made for loving you

I think the production on the first Kiss album is excellent!!!! Its a masterpiece. This album is the kjv bible of Kiss.

I loved every album (without shame) - because I like variety. IMHO - Music From The Elder ... is (still) years ahead of its time.

1. Creatures, 2. Kiss, 3. Revenge, 4. Hotter than hell, 5. Rock and roll over.

1: Alive 2: Destroyer 3: Dressed to Kill 4: Kiss 5: Lick it up 6: Creatures of the Night ...and that's all

Always appreciate you bringing the knowledge Barry. Still trying to acquire a taste for both Kiss and Rush. Think I was too old to want a Kiss lunchbox and i can’t help reacting to Geddy’s voice in the same way my cat reacts to the vacuum cleaner. Both bands are revered by many who’s opinions I respect so I’ll keep trying.

Destroyer is my #1 Kiss album as well, and for the same reason as you, but even more. Not only it is the first Kiss album I got, but it's the first album I got EVER. I was I think 7 or 8 years old, and I was with my father in a record store. I pointed to it saying that I would like to have it, and to my surprise he bought it for me (much surprising because he is a full-blown jazz man). The album made such an impression on me, it is imprinted in my DNA. It paved my way to my musical journey from there on. Kiss is not my favorite band today however, but that album, along with Double Platinum (which was given to me by a neighbour friend who was much older than me - he gave it to me before he left his home to join the army), I could listen to any time, and still like them. They still make a strange feeling inside of me, that I can't explain. Thanks for ranking your guilty pleasure band, I thoroughly enjoyed it 😉

I can always tell a list if it was made by someone who got into the band after the 70s. Interesting 🤟

Rock and Roll Over is a raw, dynamic and killer album. I think it is overlooked to some extent, by some, sandwiched between Alive I and Destroyer.

Very nice perspective on the Kiss albums. I just completed a ranking of Iron Maiden (have not aired it yet), but I wanted to see a comparison of my rankings. And then I saw this in the suggestions to the right, so nice bonus watch for me. Thanks

1. Destroyer 2. Hotter Than Hell 3. KISS 4. Creatures of The Night 5. Music From The Elder 6. Dynasty 7. Dressed to Kill 8. Rock and Roll Over 9. Lick It Up 10. Love Gun 11. Psycho Circus 12. Carnival of Souls 13. Revenge 14. Animalize 15. Unmasked 16. Monster 17. Sonic Boom 18. Asylum 19. Hot In The Shade 20. Crazy Nights

Destroyer and Rock and Roll over were amazing as well

My Favourite Band Ever, since i first heard of them, back in 79 with Dynasty, the one album my father buy from them. My Top 10 KISS ALbums are: KISS, Hotter Than Hell, Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun, Dynasty, Creatures of the Night, Lick it Up, Crazy Nights & Revenge.

1. Destroyer 2. Love Gun 3. Rock And Roll Over 4. Dynasty 5. Unmasked 6. KISS 7. Dressed To Kill 8. Hotter Than Hell Alive! and Alive II round up my Top 10. To me KISS were unparalleled from 1974 to 1980. Never the same after that.

Dynasty, Unmasked, and Hot in the Shade are tied at the bottom for me. The Elder and Carnival of Souls aren't far from the bottom. Revenge, Creatures, Lick It Up, Rock n' Roll Over, and Destroyer make up my top 5, in that order.

It just doesn't make sense to leave out "Alive", as it is anything, but a classic live album. Also, it was an extremly important step on their carreer way.

I think you were a little hard on Dynasty - it produced their signature radio song "made for lovin you" + sure know something was a good song. I also thought charisma and Ace's cover of 2,000 man were quite good as well. The much aligned "Unmasked" feature my fav Ace song "two sides of the coin" as well as "Talk to me". Shandi was a huge hit for us in "Oz" - I didn't think it was such a crap album actually.

After 40 plus years i still don't see the fascination with this band Sorry Although i was made for loving you is a great track

Very interesting ranking. I don't agree but it was fun to watch. Keep it up!

Man nice list!!!!!! I love to hear other Kiss fans favs. They way they hear it very fucking cool thanks!!👽

Destroyer was the very first record that I purchased with my own money. Prior to which my only exposure to music was through my sisters. Monkees, Osmonds Partiridge Family LOL which is all well and good. But I'll never forget going to the record store with the 10$ I got for my birthday and seeing the Life sized cardboard Kiss display with the new Destroyer album. I had never heard of them but I knew this was going to be my new thing. I bought it for 4.99$ 💞💞💞

I pretty much agree with this list. It can vary a little , depending on my mood of the day. Paul Stanley once said that ”Music from the elder” is a good album , although not a good KISS album. I agree. Imo , the same can be said about ”Carnival of souls”. I like them both very much , but they doesn’t quite fit in.

Ranking is quite easy for me! From 1-20 by release date!

I completely agree with you per; Bruce Kulick. Excellent musician and soldier of KISS' post "Originals" survivalist years. Also, totally agree with you on the list overall, of particular note, CREATURES OF THE NIGHT and HOTTER THAN HELL

20. Monster 19. Sonic Boom 18. Carnival of Souls 17. Psycho Circus 16. Hot in the Shade 15. Crazy Nights 14. The Elder 13. Animalize 12. Revenge 11. Unmasked 10. Asylum 9. Dynasty 8. Love Gun 7. Dressed to Kill 6. KISS 5. Lick it Up 4. Destroyer 3. Rock n Roll Over 2. Hotter than Hell 1. Creatures of the Night

1. Ace Frehley (KISS solo ) 2. Destroyer 3. Hotter Then Hell 4. Kiss 5. Dynasty 6.Love Gun 7. Lick it Up 8. Creatures of The Night 9. Revenge 10. Music from the Elder

UNMASKED IS THEIR ABBEY ROAD!!! Bring it ON! 🤪💥🥊

WOW! I've watched a few of these KISS worst to best studio album videos, and yours is by far the closest to mine! My top three is the exact same though I feel like Destroyer and Creatures ties for number one. Lick It Up with a huge album in my personal development and actually the first kiss album I ever heard with destroyer coming shortly after. I discovered KISS in 6th grade when Kick It Up came out and some kid was blasting it at school through a cheap jambox. Regarding your list, our top seven look almost identical! ... Though I am one of those odd kids who liked most of "the Elder". and despite the terrible production quality, I lived Dynasty. Unmasked, was weak though.

Don't care how difficult to work with Vinnie may have been (btw, "difficult to work with" coming from gene is quiet rich!) but he single-handedly saved KISS when they were seriously slumping and nobody wanted to see them anymore. He reinvigorated their sound, transformed them back into a hardrock/metal band and wrote some superb stuff for KISS

They were popular w/ tween boys back in the 70's when I was growing up but they never did it for me. Thankfully I had older siblings that turned me on to bands like The Who. I do however like the song Detroit Rock City & I really dislike Beth. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

To me Hot In The Shade is a very good album. It's the most bluesy Kiss album, features great guitar playing and guitar sounds, great songs (e.g. Hide your heart, Forever, Silver Spoon etc.) and great drumming (listen to Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell). And Eric Carr as lead singer (Little Cesar). I am a Kiss fan since the late 70's and I do like Hot in the Shade!

I recently subscribed. I appreciate the detail and pacing of this list. Very well done. Respectable opinions put forth, for sure.

The more I watch reviews of Kiss albums, the more I realize they were mostly filler. I forgot they even released any albums after Psycho Circus. My friends turned me on to Kiss when we were kids, and the band was becoming a phenomenon. By 1980 I had almost all their albums. I gave up after Unmasked, but mainly because their label support failed to promote them. Wasn't until Lick It Up came out that I knew they were still around. I do have most of their albums, including Creatures, Hot in the Shade, and Revenge, but the first live album is the only one I play anymore. Nowadays, I wish they would just go away.

My favorite KISS albums are: KISS(1974) Destroyer(1976) Rock And Roll Over(1976) Love Gun(1977) Dynasty(1979) Creatures Of The Night(1982) Lick It Up(1983) Animalize(1984) Asylum(1985) Revenge(1992) Monster(2012)

I too love the albums with Vinnie. Great stuff.

Wonderful that you put "Hotter than Hell" so high up.. AND that you mentioned my absolute favorite KISS-song "Goin' Blind" !! We all have different favorites for different reasons. This is only my opinion ;)

First part: Poor/Forgettable/Medium: 24 - Carnival Of Souls 23 - Psycho Circus 22 - Monster 21 - Crazy Nights 20 - Sonic Boom 19 - Revenge 18 - Hot in The Shade 17 - Gene Simmons 16 - Peter Cris 15 - Animalize 14 - Asylum -------------------------- Second Part: Good/Very Good/ Excellent: 13 - Paul Stanley 12 - The Elder 11 - Unmasked 10 - Lick It Up 09 - Dressed to Kill 08 - Dinasty 07 - Destroyer 06 - Kiss 05 - Rock N Roll Over 04 - Ace Frehley 03 - Creatures Of The Night 02 - Love Gun 01 - Hotter Than Hell

SO SHWEEEETTT...much love Tee with LIONS NAMED LEO.[the music worldwide} and soooo cool...great talks..

I like The Elder

Enjoyed your video! My list is definitely different than yours but I really enjoy hearing other fans opinions.

Friend, that list is warped to fit perfectly within your Creatures of the Night colored glasses - here is the actual order of things: #1 Destroyer, #2 Rock and Roll Over, #3 Love gun, #4 is a tie of all the rest of the OG line-up records. The rest of them can all go in the trash.

I’m so happy u gave lick it up the recognition it deserves ! Not many kiss fans would have it in their top 5 but I’m so happy u have it where it is! Rock on!

I’ve watched some of your Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, Led Zep videos, and indeed I did not expect you to be a KISS fan. I’m not a fan. But I decided to watch just for the hell of it. But no, I’m not going to start listening to KISS, lol. But I will not crap on you, I listen to stuff that you would probably ridicule too….

Destroyer is my fav album of KISS Mike UK 🇬🇧

Destroyer > Creatures of the night > Kiss > Love Gun > Hotter than Hell > Dynasty > Revenge > Rock'n roll Over > Psycho Circus > Lick it Up > Hot in the Shade > Dressed to Kill > Carnival of Souls > Asylum > Music From the Elder > Sonic Boom > Monster > Animalize > Crazy Nights > Unmasked

Which version of God of Thunder do you like best? The demo version sung by Paul Stanley, the album version , or the version from Alive II?

I always liked Destroyer the best. I live in the Netherlands, near the German Border. And in the 70ties, when I was 14 years old in 1976 I always listened to AFN, American Forces Network. A network for the American Soldiers, who were still in Germany in those days. And on Sunday AFN transmitted the American Top 40, hosted by Casey Kasem. And one Sunday he played Beth and Shout It Out Loud. I immediately liked them, and bougt the album Destroyer. And I still play that album several times a year. Later on I bought Rock And Roll Over, Love Gun and Alive II. In 1979 the love for Kiss was over, when they started playing disco, I Was Made For Loving You was pseudo-rock and not the real Kiss, at least in my opinion. Later on I listened to some later Kiss albums, but for me, it was not the real Kiss I hope you will review The Kinks album Village Green, that has been re-issued last Friday.

Sonic Boom and Monster make Hot In The Shade look like Dark Side of the Moon.

Best Kiss albums in order in my opinion the debut Kiss album Deuce cold gin Firehouse Strutter black diamond 100000 years don't get no better than that. 2nd would be creatures of the night. 3rd Dressed to Kill. 4 rock and roll over. 5 Lick It Up. 6 Revenge. 7 hotter than hell. 8 Destroyer. 9 love gun. 10 sonic boom.

As you mentioned, kiss is a great live band on terms of their energy and music, so for that my very favorite albums are Alive and Alive II.

King Crimson and Kiss. I get it. I really do.

Love Gun topping Rock And Roll Over? Can't agree. LG was the beginning of the end, for me. I do agree with the production on the first three.

Animalize is actually kind of good. Heaven's On Fire, Thrills In The Night, and I've Had Enough are great songs

As an early fan that left the fold 1n 1980 listening to the Creatures of the Night album today has changed my opinion of later day Kiss. Man, they sound so vital here. I would rate Alive as their best album even with awareness of the overdubs and redubs done to it.

My ranking would definitely be different but I really like all your comments on these records.

I only discovered Carnival of Souls when I was playing through Kiss on Spotify this week. Overall I'm really enjoying it. Sure, it sounds like Kiss playing Alice in Chains songs, but as someone who is getting tired of Kiss' arena anthems, and never was too into their glam rock, I thought this was pretty good. It's funny that people seem surprised that kiss were trying to cash in on grunge... when they did the same with disco in the 70s and Hair rock in the 80s.

Solid list!

I'm still getting into their discography, I hated the first two albums but Dress to kill was fantastic, I'm not sure why I'm here since I don't know majority of the stuff but whatever. Loved the vid

I agree on most of your choices! My number one is also KISS destroyer bc really good songs and quality for sure! My dads still trying to find it bc it's hard to find these days

This is your review and I respect your judgement. Music is Art and Art is very subjective so I don't think there is right or wrong. What I think is unfair is to give weight to production quality on the first three albums, KISS didn't have any money and they got what they paid for but the Songs are just Great Hard Rock Songs then KISS evolved into a more soft-Hard Rock style on the following 3 albums but still songs are Great. Now that is when talking about KISS music being Art. If we talk about KISS being a Rock and Roll Band (Remember they wanted to be like The Beatles but Heavy Metal Beatles) then their first 6 albums should be on their 6 top albums list (in any order , it does not matter.) In my opinion. And in my opinion from Creatures of the Night up to Hot in the Shade KISS music is just a joke, but that is my opinion only.

The new Kiss Destroyer double album is really worth the cash. Nice booklet and the second album full of excellent outtakes that sound like Rock n Roll Over

I honestly dont get it with Destroyer. Nowhere near my fave but so many people put it there.

I mostly listen to ”serious” metal, not silly bands like Kiss. However, I would argue that Kiss actually has some really cool songs and musically ambitious albums even if Simmons has kind of downplayed this side of the band in interviews. For a rocker/metalhead, I would recommend the following albums: Kiss, Hotter than Hell, Alive!, Ace & Paul solos, Creatures, Lick it Up and Alive 3. Grunge fans might also enjoy Carnival of Souls.

Best Kiss albums with original lineup. First album "Kiss", Kiss Alive, Psycho circus, Destroyer, Creatures of the night! Im from Detroit, Michigan rock city. Kiss played the Michigan palace for a couple years, before they made it. I saw them at the plalace 20 times. The most I ever paid was 5.00 dollars when Rush backed them up. Saw them at Frasier hockey arena in Michigan. Savoy Brown backed them up. If you can believe it.

Funny, I've always thought Destroyer to be inconsistent with regard to the overall feel of the songs. Carnival of Souls is a top ten for me as the band sounded a lot better here than on Psycho Circus, heavy and sludgy. I can see why some dislike it. My favorites are Hotter Than Hell, which is overall just a weird album, with that trebley sound no other Kiss record has, and Creatures of the Night, which is just a flat out hard rocker that sounds amazing to this day.

I think the original album was the best!!! Black Diamond, Strutter Deuce and Cold Gin

Parasite and Going Blind are two of their best, imo.

Good and interesting list !!! Excellent choice for no. 1: everything about that album is perfect !!!!

Thanks for mentioning Eric Carr he s the reason I was a big fan it s sad the band didnt let him do more.

Lifelong Kiss fan. Just a touch younger than the first album lol. Really enjoy your stuff. I feel Destroyer is easily one of the greatest rock records ever. The closest thing to filler is Sweet Pain. Meanwhile I'm biased against Gene's juvenile sex stuff. Undeniable truth!!

KISS stopped being KISS after Love Gun.

I'd put Rock and Roll Over above Love Gun every day

all kiss albums are great

That kiss has tricked anyone to actually anaylize their music is the biggest swindle of all.

Great list Barry. For me the first 6 studio albums are the pinnacle. Destroyer is my favourite just ahead of Hotter Than Hell. Very enjoyable video.👍

Nice list. The only Kiss album that I truly do not like, or dislike, is Carnival Of Souls. There maybe a good tune here or there, but for me, it’s a pass. The band have gone through a few different genres or styles, but Kiss trying to be a grunge band or a 3rd rate Nirvana, no thank you. Mind you, Nirvana cause me to lose my lunch in general so that maybe has something to do with it. I only own it because I’m a completist, but I’d be just as happy to use it as a coaster or a frisbee...

Excellent ranking from top to bottom, for me the only decent albums worth owning post Dynasty is Creatures and Revenge. Always missed Ace and Peter for there input and balance.

Alive! is their go-to listen to album, nothing more past that though, except for Alive 2

For me there is OLD KISS and NEW KISS. I guess it depends when you started getting hooked. My first was Alive 2, then i got the older ones and it took me quite a while to ‘like’ those Albums. But i surely did. Last one i got was Lick It Up, even Music from the Elder i liked quite much. What really put me off was Animalize and everything in that category. Sonic Boom and Monster are quite good. I guess I’m just predominantly a legacy KISS fan.