KISS has achieved another notable Billboard milestone following the release of its live album KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76.
Fourteen years after Monster reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in 2012, becoming the band’s most recent Top 10 album on the chart, the rock legends have once again demonstrated the lasting strength of their musical legacy.
In a post shared by the leading music publication, Billboard revealed that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees’ KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76 opened at No. 8 on the Top Album Sales chart.
The achievement also gives the band its highest-charting release on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart in more than a decade.
“The archival live project brings the band to its highest rank on the tally since 2012, when the group’s final studio album, ‘Monster,’ debuted and peaked at No. 3,” the Instagram caption reads.
Although the group — currently consisting of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer — officially ended its touring career in 2023, KISS has continued to stay active through a variety of related projects and special appearances.
One of the band’s newest projects is the live album, which arrived on Aug. 21.
The release captures the historic Spirit of ’76 Tour, also referred to as the Destroyer Tour, which took place at a sold-out Anaheim Stadium on Aug. 20, 1976.
KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76 also marks the 50th anniversary of the explosive performance, which drew more than 42,000 fans.
Looking back on the occasion, Paul Stanley called the experience “crazy” as he recalled seeing the enormous audience in front of him.
“That was unheard of and unfathomable for us,” he said in an interview and continued, “Often what happened was we would record shows. It wasn’t done back then; to this day it documents us better than a lot of other bands.”
With such a huge audience in attendance, the performance also represented KISS’ “biggest show ever” at the time.
Full Tracklist for KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76
Detroit Rock City
King Of The Night Time World
Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll
Strutter
Hotter Than Hell
Nothin’ To Lose
Cold Gin
Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
Shout It Out Loud
Do You Love Me
Gene Simmons Bass Solo
God Of Thunder
Peter Criss Drum Solo / God Of Thunder
Rock And Roll All Nite
Deuce
Firehouse
Black Diamond