Gene Simmons Compares Taylor Swift’s Fame to Beatlemania: ‘It’s Almost Cultish’

Gene Simmons is giving props to Taylor Swift, whose huge, devoted fanbase reminds the KISS bassist of Beatlemania.

While guesting on a recent episode of the LegendsNLeaders podcast, Simmons spoke about how powerful it is as a musician to see fans connect with your music in real time — something he says is more validating of an artist’s dominance than anything else. “The only analogy I can point to is the Swifties of today,” the rocker said.

“Yes, the songs are cool, and [Taylor’s] wonderful, we know her, but it’s more than that,” he continued. “It’s almost a gathering of the tribes … The Beatles had that. It was called Beatlemania. It’s almost cultish. You’re a member of that, and there’s a connection.”

Simmons also shouted out the time in 2009 when a young Swift and her band pranked Keith Urban — for whom she served as an opener on one of his tours, long before she was selling out stadiums on her own historic Eras Trek — by dressing up as KISS and crashing the stage while the Australian country star was playing. Some O.G. Swifties may remember how the 14-time Grammy winner vlogged the experience, filming the process of getting all dressed up and capturing Urban’s reaction.

“Put in ‘Taylor Swift KISS band makeup’ [in the search bar], and you’ll see Taylor and the whole band come out in KISS makeup and do that thing,” Simmons said proudly.

The rock icon is far from the only living music legend who’s noticed that Swift’s influence on this generation of music fans is next to none. Ringo Starr himself has also said that the hype surrounding her is the closest thing to Beatlemania he’s seen since experiencing it for himself as part of the Beatles.

Elsewhere in the podcast interview, Simmons reiterated his thoughts that hip-hop doesn’t “belong” in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is,” he said on the show. “It’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto.”

Watch Simmons’ full interview on LedgendsNLeaders below.