Kiss' Paul Stanley Names the Song That Defines the Band's Era

Kiss rockers Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are going to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday, June 11, in New York City, and it’s a big honor. Before the event, Stanley talked to New York Magazine about their legacy.

So, what is the band’s “legacy defining” song? Stanley has a clear favorite, even though Kiss has such a strong catalog of party anthems that any of them could work.

“It’s hard not to go with ‘Rock and Roll All Nite,'” he said on the show. What’s not to like about that track? “That song is really the template for a lot of songs that came after it, whether ours or other people’s, because it’s an anthem.”

He added: “When I started writing it, there were no ‘anthems,’ per se. Our record-company president sat us down and very fortuitously told us that we needed an anthem and we had no idea what that meant.”

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So, maybe it was the first real rock anthem. Either way, Stanley said the song isn’t about getting wasted. It’s about having a wonderful time with people you know and love. It’s a positive, uplifting song.

“Partying didn’t mean pointed hats and fly whistles. It also wasn’t a drug-fueled social event,” he said of the track. “It was getting together with people and having a great time.”

He added: “So although it wouldn't necessarily be my favorite song, its legacy is undeniable.”

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There’s a reason the members of Kiss have closed their concerts for 50 years with that song. It totally rocks. He added that the song simply “encapsulates our ethos.”

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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 11:45 AM.