KISS – Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley – are the sixth rock band to receive the Kennedy Center Honors as a group. In 2008, The Who became the first rock band to be honored. They were followed by Led Zeppelin (2012) Eagles, (2016), U2 (2022) and Grateful Dead (2024).

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday named country music star George Strait, “Rocky” actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, the rock band Kiss and actor-singer Michael Crawford among the first batch of Kennedy Center Honors nominees under his leadership as the center’s chairman and said he’ll host the awards program.