How much is Gene Simmons worth?
| Net Worth: | $425 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Rock Star |
| Date of Birth: | August 25, 1949 (age 73) |
| Country: | Israel-born American |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
About Gene Simmons
Known professionally as Gene Simmons, Gein Klein (born Chaim Witz) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, as well as an actor, author, and TV personality. Born on August 25th, 1949, in Haifa, Israel, Simmons is best known as the frontman of the rock band, Kiss.
At the height of his music career, it is estimated that Gene Simmons earned income equal to a salary of $45-55 million dollars per year.
Kiss is known worldwide for their stage makeup and sometimes shocking stage antics while playing live, with Simmons frequently sticking out his freakishly long tongue, spitting fire, and fake blood. The Israeli born rock star is also a successful author of several books, including Sex Money Kiss, Nothin’ To Lose: The Making Of Kiss and Kiss and Make-up. He also has several small roles in films to his name, generally playing himself either in reality or as an animated version, as well as numerous TV appearances including, Family Guy and Spongebob Squarepants.
Simmons resides in Los Angeles, California, with former playboy playmate and actress Shannon Lee Tweed. The couple have been married for nearly nine years and have two children. Simmons emigrated to America with his mother at the age of eight, settling in New York. His first involvement with music occurred in his teens when he formed his first band, Lynx, which he later renamed Missing Links. Two more groups formed, Long Island Sounds and Wicked Lester before Kiss formed in January 1973.
The groups’ members, consisting of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley, were well known for their on-stage costumes and painted faces, something that gave them anonymity. The American rock band began recording their first album in October 1973 at the Bell Sound Studios in New York. Their first official industry premiere took place at the Academy of Music in New York, which was not without incident when Simmons accidentally set fire to his hairspray drenched hair.
The band began their first tour on February 5th, 1974, in Edmonton, Alberta, with the groups’ first album release coming three days later. The self-titled album only managed to sell seventy-five thousand copies on its initial release but was certified gold on June 8th, 1977, after selling over five hundred thousand copies.
The second album, Hotter Than Hell, came in the same year, and again made gold status, although initial sales were poor and the album fared far worse than the first one, only peaking at 100 in the US Billboard Pop Albums Chart. Dressed to Kill followed on March 19th, 1975, and this time the album got a more positive reception, peaking at number thirty-two on the Billboard 200, reaching gold credibility on February 28th, 1977.
It’s fair to say Kiss was a band you needed to see live to appreciate what they were about. Those that hadn’t had the pleasure of doing so got a taste of what the initiated already knew, with the release of the groups first live album, Alive, released September 10th, 1975 peaked at number nine in the Billboard 200, staying in the charts for one hundred and ten weeks. The album is seen as the breakthrough for the band and is still considered Kiss’ greatest ever recording.
The first album to gain platinum status, Destroyer, released on March 15th, 1976 peaked in the US Pop album charts at number eleven and reportedly sold eight hundred and fifty thousand initially in the US. Four singles got released from the album Beth, being the most successful, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, Kiss’ most successful single to date.
Rock and Roll Over 1976, Love Gun in 1977 was followed by the groups’ second live album, Alive 2. As well as peaking at number seven on the Billboard 200 chart, the record received a massive fan response and was lauded by the industry critics. The success cast away any doubts that Kiss were, first and foremost, a must-see live band.
It was in 1983 when the bands’ popularity was waning that they decided to discard the stage makeup and reveal their faces. It was a decision that paid off with releases of gold and platinum albums over the next ten years, including Crazy Nights, Hot in the Shade, and Alive 3, as well as a hugely successful tour in 1996.
Record sales and live performances are only half the story of Gene Simmons monumental wealth. Simmons, the co-founder of the rock band Kiss, makes a fortune from the merchandise side of the group.
The band has generated over an estimated $1 billion since 1970 with its licensing deals alone. Over five thousand products have been licensed over that period, ranging from pinball machines, lunch boxes, board games, lighters, comic books, and even condoms and believe it or not, coffins. It is estimated that Kiss generate in the region of an estimated $100 million a year from licensing, touring, and merchandise deals combined.
Simmons isn’t ashamed to admit his family was ‘dirt poor’ scraping by on rationed bread and milk. That sort of upbringing can do either one of two things to a person. Make them resilient and strive to better themselves or sit back and accept what comes. Simmons chose the former and went on to amass a fortune entertaining millions along the way.
Musically the rock star admits it was the Beatles that had a significant influence on him at an early age, actually stating that if it weren’t for those skinny boys with long hair like girls, he wouldn’t be doing what he does today. The Beatles, he said, ‘blew him away.’
Simmons’ Total Net Worth
Gene Simmons has earned estimated total career income of $800 million dollars. His band, Kiss, have sold over 100 million records worldwide and earned as much as $100 million dollars per year while touring. The band has earned from merchandise and also licensing deals which have earned over $1 billion dollars.
As Simmons has lived primarily in the state of California and earned through some high federal tax years, he will have had to pay around 54% in taxes on his career income. That is, even after legal tax considerations. After tax, it is estimated that his career earnings are at around $368 million dollars, having paid $432 million dollars in taxes.
Gene Simmons married Shannon Tweed in 2011 and they remain together. They have two children together, Nick and Sophie Simmons, and appear to have had a stable homelife. In his personal life Gene has likely spent $15-17 million dollars of his career earnings but also earned $80-90 million dollars from his investments. He has bought and sold real estate, like a mansion he listed in 2020 for $22 million. he has also spent $4 million building a house near Whistler, British Columbia. As well as purchased multiple high end properties in Malibu and Beverly Hills.
Simmons will have also had to pay around $10-14 million dollars in business related costs. Therefore, it is estimated that Gene Simmons has a net worth of about $425 million dollars.
Summing-Up
Only listening to Gene Simmons on a Kiss album was like running a marathon only to quit just before the finish. You had to go that extra mile to appreciate this extravagant rock stars real talent fully. From the lizard-like tongue to the fire-spitting antics and the on-stage projectile of fake blood. To really appreciate Gene Simmons, you just had to be there.
