For the first time the best songs of KISS' in the '80s brought together on new compilation

LOS ANGELES (Mercury/UMe) - The first KISS compilation to focus solely on the band's greatest hits of the '80s, THE BEST OF KISS, VOLUME 2 edition of 20TH CENTURY MASTERS/THE MILLENNIUM COLLECTION (Mercury/UMe), released June 15, 2004, brings together 12 KISS classics sans makeup, each digitally remastered. With two selections from each album from 1982's CREATURES OF THE NIGHT to 1989's HOT IN THE SHADE, THE BEST OF KISS, VOLUME 2 follows 2003's THE BEST OF KISS release which compiled the band's greatest of the '70s.

The '70s was a period of world domination for KISS; the '80s was one of change and rejuvenation. Original drummer Peter Criss exited in 1980 (replaced by Eric Carr), original lead guitarist Ace Frehley left the next year (replaced by Vinnie Vincent) and two albums which kicked off the decade met a shifting musical climate. Yet the band, led by founding members bassist Gene Simmons and guitarist Paul Stanley, persevered and CREATURES OF THE NIGHT yielded its popular title track as well as one of the best-loved of KISS anthems, "I Love It Loud."

Then KISS shocked the world - as it had throughout the group's career - when the bandmembers took off their character makeup for 1983's LICK IT UP. Boosted by a megahit video for "Lick It Up" and the rap-rocker "All Hell's Breakin' Loose," the album was the band's first to earn platinum in four years, and every album of the '80s that followed would do at least the same, with each charting in the Top 30.

With Mark St. John now on lead guitar, 1984's ANIMALIZE soared to double platinum thanks to the MTV-fueled hit "Heaven's On Fire" and "Thrills In The Night." When St. John became ill, Bruce Kulick took over the axe duties beginning with 1985's ASYLUM, which featured "Tears Are Falling" and "Uh! All Night."
1987's CRAZY NIGHTS included uncharacteristic keyboards but nevertheless continued the streak with the anthemic "Crazy Crazy Nights" (a UK Top 10 hit) and "Reason To Live." KISS closed out the decade with HOT IN THE SHADE, which included "Hide Your Heart" and the acoustic ballad "Forever," which charted No 8, only the band's second Top 10 single (after the 1976 ballad "Beth").

In the '90s, there would be more changes in personnel, and the makeup would return too. Most recently, in 2003, KISS SYMPHONY - ALIVE IV, in which the band played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (in KISS makeup, of course) was followed by a tour with Aerosmith. In summer 2004, KISS is back on the road, this time with Poison, on the Rock The Nation Tour. Today, KISS remains one of the biggest rock bands on earth.

The series 20TH CENTURY MASTERS/THE MILLENNIUM COLLECTION, featuring new"best of" albums from the most significant music artists of the past century, is the most successful single artist series in music history.