Gene Simmons Net Worth: Kiss Bassist Reveals What Made Him A Multimillionaire

Gene Simmons is a rock and roll star who played the bass and was the co-lead singer for the rock band Kiss, where he was known by his stage persona “The Demon.” The music artist co-founded the band with lead singer Paul Stanley in the early 1970s.

As of this year, Kiss has sold more than 100 million records worldwide since its founding and success from the 1970s to the 1990s. Due to its success, Simmons currently has an estimated net worth of $400 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth.

But more than his career as the band’s bassist, Simmons made the majority of his wealth through licensing deals. They included Kiss-related logos, icons and other intellectual properties that have been licensed by more than 5,000 different products, such as lunch boxes, comic books and pinball machines.

Since the band’s founding in the 1970s, it has generated more than $1 billion in licensing fees. Becoming the co-owner of the band with Stanley, Simmons claimed that Kiss earned roughly $100 million annually from tours, merchandise sales and licensing deals.

The former bassist’s primary residence since 1986 has been his Beverly Hills home that spanned 16,500 square feet and is sitting on almost two acres of the world’s most valuable land. Simmons bought the home in 1984 for roughly $1,327,500, which is estimated to be equivalent to around $3.1 million today, as per Celebrity Net Worth.

The artist later started a five-year construction project worth an estimated $12 million that renovated his home to have 10 bedrooms. But in October 2020, Simmons put his home up for sale for a hefty price tag of $22 million. However, he has since relisted the residence with a price tag of $25 million, Fox Business has learned.

Simmons is also a successful entrepreneur, owning a chain of restaurants, a financial services management company, reality shows, a football team and a book that made him a best-selling entrepreneurship author. More than being a part of the band, the entrepreneur made more money by focusing on the Kiss brand and marketing it to others, according to Inc.