This paper is an in-depth analysis of the American rock band KISS from a cultural anthropological perspective, exploring how their iconic visual mystique, dynamic performance style, and complex band and fan interactions contribute to their cultural significance. Recognized for their flamboyant outfits, iconic makeup, and theatric live shows, KISS presents a rich site for examining the complex interplay between popular culture, identity, and commodification. By gathering a combination of archival research and ethnographic methods, this study articulates how KISS constructs and embodies larger-than-life personas, that effectively blur the lines between artists and characters. By highlighting the band’s strategic use of spectacle and branding, it illustrates how these elements serve to cultivate a subcultural identity that deeply resonates with a diverse audience and spans across multiple generations. Exploring how KISS and their fanbase operate as a cultural army, and how distinctive symbols, shared rituals, and language foster a collective identity, shows how KISS transcends the traditional confines of the music industry. By placing KISS within the broader contexts of rock music, pop culture, and consumer capitalism, the research clarifies how the band not only reflects on the dynamics of fan engagement and community-building but also reinforces the sense of belonging and collective identity that the band and their audience adopt. Ultimately, this study reveals the intricate agents that underpin KISS’s unmistakable status in the landscape of music and culture and further demonstrates how KISS’s sustained popularity and influence can be understood through performance theory, identity construction, and commercialization of subculture aesthetics.