The rock band KISS has sold the rights to its music, as well as its name, image and likeness to the Swedish company Pophouse for approximately $300 million. By 2027, Pophouse wants to create a show with virtual avatars of KISS musicians.
The Financial Times writes about it.
The upcoming KISS show is similar to the London ABBA Voyage. Digital versions of Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agneta Fæltskog and Ani-Fried Lyngstad look as they did in the 1970s. In its first year, the show brought London $225 million in net income.
Pophouse did not disclose the terms of the KISS deal, but promises to keep the musicians in the public eye for years after their live shows are over. In addition, it should unlock a new audience for the band and a source of income. Music rights generate revenue from streaming and record sales, but investors can also earn more through the sale of licensing deals for movies and TV shows.
The deal will "breathe new life into their characters and images, and leverage and elevate the visual world of Kiss," according to Pophouse chief executive Per Sundin. This technology could help participants become "immortal" as they wished. The development of the virtual concert is already underway.
- On December 2, 2023, rock band KISS played the final concert of their farewell tour, The End of the Road, in New York. However, this will not be the end of their career — the band members will continue to perform in a virtual format.