Rock in Rio is a biennial Brazilian multi-day

music festival A music festival is a festival, community event with music, performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock music, rock, blues, folk music, folk, jazz, classical music), nation ...

held at City of Rock in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

. It later branched into other locations such as

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

and

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

. Ten incarnations of the festival have been held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2024; nine in

, in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022; three in Madrid in 2008, 2010 and 2012; and one in Las Vegas, in 2015. Brazilian entrepreneur and advertiser Roberto Medina was responsible for the inception and organization of the festival, as well as moving the 2004 edition to

, while controversially keeping the brand "Rock in Rio". In 2011, Rock in Rio returned to its original location, Rio de Janeiro, with a new line-up of singers and groups. Rock in Rio is one of the largest music festivals in the world, with 1.38 million people attending the first event, 700,000 attending the second and fourth, about 1.2 million attending the third, and about 350,000 people attending each of the three Lisbon events. In May 2018,

Live Nation Entertainment Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American multinational entertainment company that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It promotes, operates and manages ticket sales for live entertainment internation ...

acquired a majority stake in the festival (including from previous stakeholder

SFX Entertainment LiveStyle, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based live events conglomerate founded by media entrepreneur Robert F. X. Sillerman. The company was formed in June 2012 as SFX Entertainment—the new incarnation of Sillerman's previous company of the same nam ...

), with Medina continuing to manage the festival's operations. Live Nation stated that it intended to " ntegratetheir industry expertise" into their overall business. In 2022, Lisbon hosted the 9th edition on several dates in June at Bela Vista Park. Rio de Janeiro hosted its edition on several dates in September.

History

Rio de Janeiro

''Rock in Rio'' (1985)

The first edition of the festival was held from 11–20 January 1985.

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...

AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formativ ...

, and

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...

were the headliners, each occupying top spot for two nights (Benson, however, ceded it to

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...

for their second night in the same bill, due to the huge delay Taylor's extended performance had caused to his concert two days before). About 1.38 million people attended the 10-day-long festival.

''Rock in Rio'' in numbers

* The City of Rock, which was built for the festival, covered an area of 250,000 m² (around 2.7 million square feet) * 1,600,000 litres of beverages were served, using 4 million plastic cups. * 900,000 hamburgers. * 500,000 pizza slices. *

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...

sold 58,000 hamburgers in a single day, which was a

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

until the fourth edition in 2011, where 79,000 hamburgers were sold by Bob's. The full list of artists who performed at Rock in Rio: * 01/11 Friday **

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...

** Baby Consuelo e Pepeu Gomes ** Erasmo Carlos ** Ney Matogrosso * 01/12 Saturday **

Al Jarreau Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and songwriter. His 1981 album '' Breakin' Away'' spent two years on the ''Billboard'' 200 and is considered one of the finest examples of the Los Angeles pop and ...

Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Ministry of Culture (Brazil), Minister of ...

** Elba Ramalho ** Ivan Lins * 01/13 Sunday **

The Go-Go's The Go-Go's are an American all-female Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar ...

Nina Hagen Catharina "Nina" Hagen (; born 11 March 1955) is a German singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her theatrical vocals and rise to prominence during the punk and Neue Deutsche Welle movements in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is ...

** Blitz ** Lulu Santos ** Os Paralamas do Sucesso * 01/14 Monday **

** Alceu Valença ** Moraes Moreira * 01/15 Tuesday **

Scorpions Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...

** Barão Vermelho ** Eduardo Dusek ** Kid Abelha e os Abóboras Selvagens * 01/16 Wednesday **

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...

** Rita Lee ** Moraes Moreira ** Os Paralamas do Sucesso * 01/17 Thursday **

** Elba Ramalho ** Alceu Valença * 01/18 Friday **

The B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...

(with

Chris Frantz Charton Christopher Frantz (born May 8, 1951) is an American musician and record producer. He is the drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, both of which he co-founded with wife and Talking Heads bassist, Tina Weymouth. In 2002, Frant ...

and

Tina Weymouth Martina Michèle Weymouth ( ; born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, ...

) ** Lulu Santos ** Eduardo Dusek ** Kid Abelha e os Abóboras Selvagens * 01/19 Saturday **

** Baby Consuelo e Pepeu Gomes * 01/20 Sunday **

(with

and

) **

** Blitz **

** Barão Vermelho ** Erasmo Carlos * Both

shows were filmed (early on 12 and 19 January) and broadcast throughout Brazil by Globo. Each show was watched by nearly 200 million people in over 60 countries and in front of 250,000-500,000 people for each night setting a world record for the biggest paying audience ever at the time. It was later broadcast in the United States on

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

as "''Queen: Live in Rio''". *

was the only non-Brazilian act to play just one concert at the festival (on its opening night, headlined by

), due to other bookings, while every other international act performed twice. During the song "Revelations", lead singer

Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Dickinson has performed in the band across two stints, from 1981 to 1993 and from 1999 to the present d ...

hit himself accidentally with a guitar and cut his eyebrow. Dickinson continued to sing in spite of heavy bleeding. They performed in front of a crowd of 500,000 people. *

broke up after their two Rock in Rio performances, (headlined by

and

) though they would later reunite in the 1990s. The two Rock in Rio shows were the debut and swansong for short-tenured Go-Go's member Paula Jean Brown, who had replaced

Jane Wiedlin Jane Wiedlin (born May 20, 1958) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actress, best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of the new wave music, new wave band The Go-Go's. She voices Dusk, the drummer and ba ...

. (Wiedlin would return to the reunited 1990s lineup.) *

and

, at the time

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

drummer and bass player, respectively, took part at

the B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...

concerts. They joined the band from the third song on and played along with them for the remainder of the performance. * The 20 January appearance of the B-52's would turn out to be their last with guitarist Ricky Wilson, who died from

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

in October of that year as the band was finishing their next album. * Initially,

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...

was scheduled to play at the festival. However, they dropped out about two months before the event, due to delays on the recording process of the album ''

Hysteria Hysteria is a term used to mean ungovernable emotional excess and can refer to a temporary state of mind or emotion. In the nineteenth century, female hysteria was considered a diagnosable physical illness in women. It is assumed that the bas ...

''. Eleven days before the date Def Leppard would have played at the festival, drummer Rick Allen suffered an accident that cost him his left arm. They were replaced by

, which happened to be the last touring date for the supporting '' Slide It In'' album tour.

''Rock in Rio 2'' (1991)

The second edition was held from 18–27 January 1991 at the Maracanã stadium. Headliners were

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

and

George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling rec ...

, each being top billed for two of the event's nine nights.

INXS INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed as the Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney. The founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, gu ...

New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...

and

A-ha A-ha (often stylised as ''a''-h''a''; ) is a Norwegian synth-pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. Founded by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), and Morten Harket (lead vocals), the band ros ...

also had top billing, for one night each. The third night, headlined by Guns N' Roses, attracted more than 100.000 people to the stadium, the biggest audience of the nine-day event. A-ha broke the record for largest paying attendance at a concert with 198,000 fans in attendance. Full list of artists who performed at Rock in Rio 2: * 18/01 Friday **

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...

Colin Hay Colin James Hay (born 29 June 1953) is a Scottish-Australian musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and the sole continuous member of the band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist. Hay is a member of the band Ringo Starr & His ...

Jimmy Cliff James Chambers, Jamaican Order of Merit, OM (born 30 July 1944), known professionally as Jimmy Cliff, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actor. He is the only living reggae musician to hol ...

* 19/01 Saturday **

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...

** Engenheiros do Hawaii ** Supla ** Vid & Sangue Azul * 20/01 Sunday **

Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...

Titãs Titãs (, Portuguese for Titans) are a Brazilian Rock music, rock band from São Paulo. Though they primarily are classified as a rock band, the band have also experimented with genres such as New wave music, new wave, punk rock, ska, grunge, M� ...

** Hanoi Hanoi * 22/01 Tuesday **

Run-DMC Run-DMC (also formatted Run-D.M.C., RUN DMC, or some combination thereof) was an American hip-hop group formed in Hollis, Queens, New York City in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the mos ...

** Roupa Nova ** Inimigos do Rei * 23/01 Wednesday **

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Judas Priest have also been referred to as one of the p ...

Queensrÿche Queensrÿche () is an American progressive metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one Extended play, EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record ...

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal—alo ...

** Lobão **

Sepultura Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera.Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. They were a major force in the groove metal, thrash met ...

* 24/01 Thursday **

** Alceu Valença ** Laura Finocchiaro ** Serguei * 25/01 Friday **

Deee-Lite Deee-Lite was an American House music, house and Dance music, dance music group formed in New York City. The group's Single (music), single "Groove Is in the Heart", which was released in 1990 from their debut studio album, ''World Clique'' (19 ...

** Elba Ramalho ** Ed Motta * 26/01 Saturday **

Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up consisted of brothers Shaun Ryder (vocals) and Paul Ryder (bass), Gaz Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry la ...

** Paulo Ricardo **

Debbie Gibson Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She released her debut album ''Out of the Blue (Debbie Gibson album), Out of the Blue'' (1987) at age 16, writing and largely producing the material. The a ...

Information Society An information society is a society or subculture where the usage, Content creation, creation, information distribution, distribution, manipulation and information integration, integration of information is a significant activity. Its main drive ...

** Capital Inicial ** Nenhum de Nós * 27/01 Sunday **

Lisa Stansfield Lisa Jane Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition ''Search for a Star''. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first ...

** Moraes Moreira e Pepeu Gomes ** Léo Jaime

's 20 January concert was their first ever with then new drummer

Matt Sorum Matthew William Sorum (born November 19, 1960) is an American drummer. He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded three studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver. ...

and keyboard player Dizzy Reed.

's second concert, on 27 January, the festival's closing day, featured his ex-

Wham! Wham! were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981 consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They were one of the most successful pop acts during the 1980s, selling more than 30 million certified records worldwide from 1982 to ...

partner

Andrew Ridgeley Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) is an English musician, best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duo Wham! consisting of Ridgeley and George Michael. Associated with the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US, th ...

, who joined Michael for a few songs at the encore.

''Rock in Rio 3'' (2001)

The third ''Rock in Rio'' festival took place in 2001. Its seven nights were headlined, respectively, by Sting,

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...

, 'N Sync,

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...

and the

Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...

. Once

O Rappa O Rappa was a Brazilian reggae rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that combined many styles such as rock, reggae, funk, hip hop and samba. Most of their songs contain sharp protests against the social problems in Brazil and the members of t ...

complained about their assigned time, as the contract predicted a night concert that wound up scheduled for 6:30 PM while the lesser known in the country

Deftones Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by frontman Chino Moreno, lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter and drummer Abe Cunningham, with bassist Chi Cheng and keyboardist and tu ...

remained in the evening, they were expelled, and five other Brazilian bands, Jota Quest,

Raimundos Raimundos is a Brazilian hardcore punk band formed in 1987 by Digão and Rodolfo Abrantes, in Brasília, Federal District (Brazil), Distrito Federal. They had major influences from 1980s punk bands, especially Ramones, which their name is a play ...

Charlie Brown Jr. Charles or Charlie Brown may refer to: People Arts and entertainment Music * Charlie Brown (singer) (born 1986), British singer * Charlie Brown (born 1970), American rapper and member of Leaders of the New School * Charles Brown (musician) (1922� ...

, Skank and Cidade Negra, withdrew from the festival in protest.

released their set as '' Rock in Rio''. Profits from the sale of the album were donated to the

Clive Burr Clive Ronald Burr (8 March 1956 – 12 March 2013) was an English musician. He was the drummer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1979 to 1982. Together with fellow Iron Maiden member Dennis Stratton, he joined Praying Mantis for the r ...

fund, helping their former drummer pay mounting medical bills for his

multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...

. A notable appearance at ''Rock in Rio 3'' was that of American hard rock band

, their first large show since 1993, with a new line-up featuring vocalist

Axl Rose W. Axl Rose ( ; born William Bruce Rose Jr., February 6, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and has been the band's sole constant member since its inception in ...

, guitarists

Buckethead Brian Patrick Carroll (born May 13, 1969), known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative and virtuosic electric guitar playing. Buckethead's extensive solo discography currentl ...

Robin Finck Robert John "Robin" Finck (born November 7, 1971) is an American guitarist. Finck is the longest-serving touring musician for Nine Inch Nails, performing with the band from 1994 to 2000, and returning in 2008. With Nine Inch Nails, Finck contribu ...

Paul Tobias Paul Tobias (also known as Paul Edward Huge (pronounced hugh-gee); born April 4th 1963) is an American guitarist best known for his work with the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he was associated from 1994 to 2002. Biography Born On ...

, bassist

Tommy Stinson Thomas Eugene Stinson (born October 6, 1966) is an American rock musician. He came to prominence in the 1980s as the bass guitarist for The Replacements, one of the definitive American alternative rock groups. After their breakup in 1991, Stins ...

, drummer

Brain The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...

and keyboardists Dizzy Reed &

Chris Pitman Chris Pitman (born November 16, 1961) is an American musician best known for his involvement with the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. A multi-instrumentalist, Pitman is known to play keyboards, guitar and drums, in addition to his role as a lead ...

Carlinhos Brown Antônio Carlos Santos de Freitas, known professionally as Carlinhos Brown (Brazilian Portuguese: /kaʁˈlĩɲus bɾaw̃, -iɲuʃ/, 23 November 1962), is a Brazilian singer, percussionist, and record producer from Salvador, Bahia. His musica ...

, the opening act on the day Guns N' Roses performed, was attacked by water bottles throughout his performance. Bassist Nick Oliveri of

Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated as QOTSA or QotSA) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1996. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme shortly before he returned to his native Palm Desert, California. ...

performed nude for part of their set and was arrested for indecent exposure after the concert, being released soon after. Full list of artists who performed at Rock in Rio 3: * 12/01 Friday ** Sting ** Daniela Mercury **

** Milton Nascimento **

** Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira * 13/01 Saturday **

Foo Fighters The Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, gu ...

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970), known mononymously as Beck, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi mus ...

** Barão Vermelho ** Fernanda Abreu ** Cássia Eller * 14/01 Sunday **

Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment Papa Roach Papa Roach is an American Rock music, rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix, drummer Dave Buckner, guitarist Jerry Horton, bassist Will James, and trombonist Ben Luth ...

Ira! Ira! (Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese for ''Anger!'' or ''Rage (emotion), Rage!'', although the name was inspired by the Irish Republican Army) is a Brazilian rock band that was founded in São Paulo in the early 1980s. They were strongly infl ...

& Ultraje a Rigor **

** Pato Fu * 18/01 Thursday ** 'N Sync **

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...

** 5ive **

Sandy & Junior Sandy & Junior were a Brazilian pop music duo consisting of siblings Sandy Leah Lima (born January 28, 1983) and Durval de Lima Júnior (born April 11, 1984). They first gained notoriety by being the children of Xororó from popular sertanejo ...

** Aaron Carter ** Moraes Moreira * 19/01 Friday **

** Rob Halford **

** Pavilhão 9 ** Sheik Tosado * 20/01 Saturday **

Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She is noted for her Optimism, optimistic and Idealism, idealistic subject matter, and incorporation of genres including Rock music, rock, Po ...

Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known as DMB) is an American rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The band's lineup consists of Dave Matthews (lead vocals, guitar), Stefan Lessard (bass), Carter Beauford (drums), Tim Reynolds (lead guitar), R ...

** Kid Abelha ** Elba Ramalho & Zé Ramalho ** Engenheiros do Hawaii * 21/01 Sunday **

Silverchair Silverchair was an Australian Rock music, rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Newcastle, New South Wales, with Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars, Ben Gillies on drums, and Chris Joannou on bass guitar. The group got thei ...

** Capital Inicial **

** O Surto ** Diesel

''Rock in Rio 4'' (2011)

The fourth edition of Rock in Rio, back to its origins, was held on 23, 24, 25, 29 and 30 September, and 1 and 2 October 2011, at an area ( pt) to be built next to the old City of Rock – which was the site of the

Olympic Village An Olympic Village is a residential complex built or reassigned for the Olympic Games in or nearby the List of Olympic Games host cities, host city for the purpose of accommodating all of the delegations. Olympic Villages are usually located clos ...

for the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...

. Three different stages were employed, with the headlining concerts at the Palco Mundo (World Stage), the secondary ones in Palco Sunset (Sunset Stage), and DJs playing at a specialized stage for electronic music. The closing acts,

and System of a Down, entered following a poll on the festival's website.

Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, d ...

was a last hour addition, following

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

leaving for personal reasons. Full list of artists who performed at Rock in Rio 4: *09/23 Friday **Palco Mundo:

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...

, Claudia Leitte, opening concert with Os Paralamas do Sucesso,

, Milton Nascimento, Maria Gadú and the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra **Palco Sunset: Móveis Coloniais de Acaju, Orkestra Rumpilezz, Mariana Aydar,

Bebel Gilberto Isabel Buarque de Hollanda Gilberto de Oliveira (born May 12, 1966), known as Bebel Gilberto, is an American-born Brazilian people, Brazilian popular singer often associated with bossa nova. She is the daughter of João Gilberto and singer Miú ...

Sandra de Sá Sandra Cristina Frederico de Sá (born August 27, 1955) is a Brazilian singer and songwriter. Sandra was born in the Pilares neighborhood, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the daughter of Jurema and Nonô de Sá. Sandra's maternal grandfather, ...

, Ed Motta,

Rui Veloso Rui Manuel Gaudêncio Veloso (born 30 July 1957) is a Portuguese singer-songwriter and musician. Commonly called "The father of Portuguese rock" (Portuguese: ''O pai do rock português''), Veloso was a major figure in the boom of Portuguese rock ...

, Andreas Kisser, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Gift *09/24 Saturday **Palco Mundo:

Snow Patrol Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland, consisting of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), and Johnny McDaid (piano, guitar, keyboards, backi ...

, Capital Inicial,

Stone Sour Stone Sour was an American rock band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1992. The band performed for five years before disbanding in 1997. They reunited in 2000; since 2015, the group has consisted of Corey Taylor (lead vocals, guitar), Josh Rand ...

, NX Zero **Palco Sunset: Marcelo Yuka ( pt),

Cibelle Cibelle (born 1978), birth name Cibelle Cavalli Bastos, is a Brazilian visual artist and musician. They are based in London, Berlin and São Paulo. They graduated in 2015 from the Royal College of Art in London. Cibelle has released four music ...

, Karina Buhr, Amora Pêra ( Sandra Pêra), Tulipa Ruiz, Nação Zumbi, Milton Nascimento,

Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984), sometimes professionally known with the stylized name of esperanza spalding, is an American bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Aw ...

Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. He has also fronted and/or played with Tomahawk, The ...

Mondo Cane ''Mondo Cane'' (a somewhat coarse Italian expletive, literally ) is a 1962 Italian mondo documentary film and directed by the trio of Gualtiero Jacopetti, Paolo Cavara, and Franco E. Prosperi, with narration by Stefano Sibaldi. The film ...

, Orquestra Sinfônica de Heliópolis *09/25 Sunday **Palco Mundo:

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

, Slipknot,

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...

Coheed and Cambria Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. It consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), and Za ...

, Gloria **Palco Sunset: Matanza, BNegão ( pt), Korzus, The Punk Metal Allstars ( East Bay Ray from

Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk bands during its initial eight-year run. Initially consisting of lead guitarist East Bay Ray, bassist Klaus Fl ...

, Mike Clark

Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes ...

, João Gordo from Ratos de Porão and Marcel Schmier from

Destruction Destruction may refer to: Concepts * Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger * Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism * Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kin ...

), Angra,

Tarja Turunen Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli (born 17 August 1977), known professionally as Tarja Turunen or simply Tarja, is a Finnish Heavy metal music, heavy metal singer, best known as the former lead vocalist of Nightwish. Turunen studied lyrical ...

, Les Tambours du Bronx *09/29 Thursday **Palco Mundo:

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

Jamiroquai Jamiroquai ( ) are an English acid jazz and funk band from London. Formed in 1992, they are fronted by vocalist Jay Kay, and were prominent in the London-based funk and acid jazz movement of the 1990s. They built on their acid jazz sound in th ...

Kesha Kesha Rose Sebert (born March 1, 1987), formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter. Her first major success came in 2009 when she was featured on rapper Flo Rida's number-one single, "Right Round". Kesha's music and ima ...

Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson ( ; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. She has received ten Grammy Award nominations, and is the recipient of a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children's and Family Emmy Award. ...

Legião Urbana Legião Urbana (Portuguese for Urban Legion) was a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Federal District (Brazil), Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards), Dado Villa-Lobos ...

with Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra **Palco Sunset: Marcelo Jeneci, Curumin, Baile do Simonal, Diogo Nogueira,

Afrika Bambaataa Lance Taylor (born April 17, 1957), also known as Afrika Bambaataa (), is a retired American DJ, rapper, and record producer. He is notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenced the development of ...

, Paula Lima,

Joss Stone Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born 11 April 1987), known professionally as Joss Stone, is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, ''The Soul Sessions'', which made the 2004 Merc ...

*09/30 Friday **Palco Mundo:

Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...

Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...

, Ivete Sangalo, Jota Quest,

Marcelo D2 Marcelo Maldonado Peixoto (born November 5, 1967), also known as Marcelo D2, is a Brazilian rapper, singer and songwriter, co-founder of Planet Hemp. Biography A former vocalist of the band Planet Hemp, he started his solo career in 1998 ...

**Palco Sunset: Buraka Som Sistema, Mixhell, Céu, João Donato, Cidade Negra, Martinho da Vila, Emicida,

Monobloco Monobloco is a Brazilian Blocos, bloco, or street band, that plays during Brazilian Carnival, Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro and is also a professional touring show. Unlike most of Rio's blocos, which tend play one type of music (typically samba), ...

, Macaco, Pepeu Gomes *10/1 Saturday **Palco Mundo:

Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...

Maná Maná () is a Mexican pop rock band formed in 1981. Originally called Sombrero Verde, the current lineup of members is vocalist-guitarist Fher Olvera, drummer Alex González (musician), Alex González, guitarist Sergio Vallín and bassist Juan ...

, Skank, Frejat **Palco Sunset: Cidadão Instigado ( pt), Júpiter Maçã, Tiê, Jorge Drexler, Zeca Baleiro, Erasmo Carlos,

Arnaldo Antunes Arnaldo Antunes (, born Arnaldo Augusto Nora Antunes Filho, September 2, 1960) is a Brazilian singer, writer, and composer. He was a member of the rock band Titãs, which he co-founded in 1982 and left ten years later. After 1992, he embarked on ...

*10/2 Sunday **Palco Mundo:

, System of a Down,

Evanescence Evanescence is an American Rock music, rock band founded in 1994 by singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody in Little Rock, Arkansas. After releasing independent extended play, EPs and a Origin (Evanescence demo album), demo ...

, Detonautas Roque Clube, Pitty **Palco Sunset: The Monomes, David Fonseca, Os Mutantes, Tom Zé,

, Xutos & Pontapés,

Marcelo Camelo Marcelo de Souza Camelo (Rio de Janeiro, February 4, 1978) is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, and poet. He is best known as composer and lead guitarist of the Brazilian band Los Hermanos. Since the end of the band, he continues composing ...

, The Growlers **Eletrônica Palco: Nalaya Brown

''Rock in Rio 5'' (2013)

''Rock in Rio 5'' was held in September 2013. The headline acts, chronologically, were:

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley ...

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...

and

. *Friday 13 September *Palco Mundo:

David Guetta Pierre David Guetta (; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and record producer. He has sold over 10 million albums and 65 million singles globally, with more than 30 billion streams on Spotify. Guetta was voted the number one DJ in the DJ Mag ...

, Ivete Sangalo, Cazuza - O Poeta Está Vivo *Palco Sunset:

Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock music, rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992. T ...

+ Angélique Kidjo,

Maria Rita Maria Rita (; born 9 September 1977, São Paulo) is a Brazilian singer. Born Maria Rita Camargo Mariano, she is the daughter of famed pianist/arranger César Camargo Mariano and the late Brazilian singing legend Elis Regina and sister to P ...

Selah Sue Sanne Greet A. PutseysWensink, Herien (2009)A Flemish singer with a Jamaican soul, NRC, 21 August 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2010 (; born 3 May 1989), known professionally as Selah Sue, is a Belgian musician and songwriter. Her debut album, ''Se ...

, Vintage Trouble + Jesuton, Flávio Renegado + Orelha Negra **Eletrônica: Otto Knows, Life Is A Loop, Ask 2 Quit, Sweet Beats *Saturday 14 September *Palco Mundo:

Florence and the Machine Florence and the Machine (stylised as Florence + the Machine) are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2007 by lead vocalist Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, drummer Christopher Lloyd Hayden and harp ...

Thirty Seconds to Mars Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American Rock music, rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Let ...

, Capital Inicial *Palco Sunset:

The Offspring The Offspring is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Dexter Holland, Bryan "Dexter" Holland, ...

, Viva A Raul Seixas – C/ Detonautas Roque Clube, Zeca Baleiro & Zélia Ducan,

Marky Ramone Marc Steven Bell (born July 15, 1952), better known as Marky Ramone, is an American drummer. He began playing in hard rock bands in the New York City area, notably Dust (band), Dust and Estus. He was asked to drum for punk rock band Richard Hell ...

Michael Graves Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect, designer, and educator, and principal of Michael Graves and Associates and Michael Graves Design Group. He was a member of The New York Five and the Memphis Group and ...

, BNegão + Autoramas **Eletrônica: TBA, TBA, Anderson Noise, Mau Mau, Paula Chulap *Sunday 15 September *Palco Mundo:

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...

, Jessie J, Jota Quest *Palco Sunset: Ivan Lins +

Kimbra Kimbra Lee Johnson (born 27 March 1990), known Mononymous person, mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Known for mixing pop with R&B, jazz and rock musical elements, her accolades include four ARIA Music Awards, two 2 ...

+ Olodum,

Nando Reis Nando Reis (, born José Fernando Gomes dos Reis; January 12, 1963) is a Brazilian musician and producer, best known as the former bassist and one of the lead singers of Brazilian rock band Titãs and for his successful solo career, with his own ...

+ Samuel Rosa, Aurea + The Black Samba **Eletrônica: DJ Harvey, dOP, Renato Ratier, Triple Crown *Thursday 19 September *Palco Mundo:

Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...

Ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

+ Les Tambours du Bronx *Palco Sunset:

Rob Zombie Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965), known professionally as Rob Zombie, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live show ...

, República + Dr. Sin + Roy Z, Sebastian Bach,

Almah In Biblical Hebrew, the words ''almah'' (; ) and ''alamot'' (; ), drawn from a Semitic root implying the vigour of puberty, refer to a young woman who is sexually ripe for marriage. Although the concept is central to the account of the virgin ...

+ Hibria **Eletrônica:

Gesaffelstein Mike Lévy (; born 24 June 1985), known professionally as Gesaffelstein (), is a French music programmer, DJ, songwriter and producer from Lyon. He has worked alongside artists such as Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, Daft Punk, Kanye West, ASAP Rocky, A$ ...

, Brodinski, The Gaslamp Killer, DJ Ride *Friday 20 September *Palco Mundo:

Nickelback Nickelback is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Hanna, Alberta. Throughout its history, it has consisted of lead guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan ...

, Matchbox Twenty, Frejat *Palco Sunset:

Ben Harper Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music, and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, liv ...

Charlie Musselwhite Charles Douglas Musselwhite (born January 31, 1944) is an American blues harmonica player and bandleader who came to prominence, along with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop, as a pivotal figure in helping to revive the Chicago ...

, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals + Donavon Frankenreiter, Mallu Magalhães + Banda Ouro Negro, The Gift + Afroreggae **Eletrônica: Paul Oakenfold, Dexterz, Rodrigo Vieira, Ferris *Saturday 21 September *Palco Mundo:

John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in 1997 with fellow guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-liv ...

, Phillip Phillips, Skank *Palco Sunset: Gogol Bordello + Lenine, Ivo Meirelles + Fernanda Abreu + Elba Ramalho, Moraes Moreira + Pepeu Gomes + Roberta Sá, Orquestra Imperial + Lorenzo Jovanotti ** Eletrônica: Loco Dice, DJ Vibe, Guti, Flow & Zeo *Sunday 22 September *Palco Mundo:

Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead gui ...

Slayer Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...

, Kiara Rocks *Palco Sunset:

+ Zé Ramalho,

Helloween Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. The band has at times been called one of the most influential European heavy metal bands of the 1980s. Its first ...

Kai Hansen Kai Michael Hansen (born 17 January 1963) is a German musician who is the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray (band), Gamma Ray. He is also one of the co-founders of another power metal band Helloween, which he was ...

Krisiun Krisiun is a Brazilian death metal band, founded by brothers Alex Camargo (bass, vocals) (Born March 11, 1972), Moyses Kolesne (guitars) (Born August 11, 1973) and Max Kolesne (drums) (Born June 12, 1974). Since its formation in 1990, the gro ...

Andre Matos Andre Coelho Matos (; 14 September 1971 – 8 June 2019) was a Brazilian singer and musician. He was involved in the heavy metal bands Viper, Angra, Shaman and Symfonia. Since 2006, Matos had been dedicating his time to his solo career. I ...

Viper Vipers are snakes in the family Viperidae, found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, New Zealand, Ireland, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipe ...

**Eletrônica: Felguk,

DJ Marky Marco Antonio da Silva, known professionally as DJ Marky, is a Brazilian drum and bass DJ. Together with DJ Patife, XRS Land and Drumagick, Brazilians were forging a new sound in drum and bass that became popular around the world with release ...

, Maximum Hedrum, Boteco Electro

''Rock in Rio 6'' (2015)

The sixth Brazilian edition was held from 18 to 27 September 2015 at the City of Rock. The headliners were

Queen + Adam Lambert Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * ...

, System of a Down, Slipknot,

and

. *Friday 18 September **Palco Mundo:

OneRepublic OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado, formed in 2002. The lineup currently consists of Ryan Tedder (lead vocals, piano), Zach Filkins (guitar, viola), Drew Brown (musician), Drew Brown (guitar), Brent Kutzle ( ...

The Script The Script are an Irish Soft rock, soft-rock band formed in 2001 in Dublin. The band currently consists of Danny O'Donoghue (lead vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), Glen Power (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Benjamin Seargent (bass, backin ...

, Rock in Rio 30 Anos **Palco Sunset: Tribute to Cássia Eller, Lenine + Nação Zumbi + Martin Fondse,

Rappin' Hood Antônio Luiz Júnior (born November 7, 1971), better known by his stage name Rappin' Hood, is a Brazilian rapper, singer, record producer, activist and former television presenter. He is famous for being a pioneer of the samba-rap in the mid- to ...

and Tony Tornado, Dônica + Arthur Verocai **Eletrônica: DJ Meme, Kerry Chandler,

Barbara Tucker Barbara Tucker (born March 19, 1967), is an American house and soul singer, songwriter and choreographer born in Brooklyn, New York, US. Tucker had six No. 1 hits on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the 1990s and into the 2000s, and severa ...

, Tribute to Lincoln Olivetti, Tribute to Raul Seixas *Saturday 19 September **Palco Mundo:

Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...

Royal Blood A royal descent is a genealogical line of descent from a past or present monarch. Both geneticists and genealogists have attempted to estimate the percentage of living people with royal descent. From a genetic perspective, the number of unp ...

, Gojira **Palco Sunset:

Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...

, Ministry + Burton C. Bell, Angra + Dee Snider + Doro Pesch, Noturnall +

Michael Kiske Michael Kiske (born 24 January 1968) is a German singer who is the co-lead vocalist for the power metal band Helloween. Kiske has also released four solo albums, two albums with the hard rock band Unisonic (band), Unisonic, has participated on ...

**Eletrônica:

Crookers Crookers is the musical project of Italian DJ and producer Francesco "Phra" Barbaglia. Crookers was originally a duo consisting of Phra and fellow producer Bot, who worked together from 2003 to 2012. When the two artists met, both were trying to ...

Headhunterz Willem Rebergen (born 12 September 1985), better known by his stage name ''Headhunterz'', is a Dutch Disc jockey, DJ and Record producer, music producer. Rebergen is also a Voice acting, voice actor. He has done Dubbing (filmmaking), dubbing for ...

, Tropkillaz, A Liga, Chemical Surf *Sunday 20 September **Palco Mundo:

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...

, Os Paralamas do Sucesso **Palco Sunset:

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Every ...

, Magic!, Baby do Brasil, Alice Caymmi + Eumir Deodato **Eletrônica: Matador, Pig and Dan,

Gui Boratto Guilherme Boratto (born 1974) is a Brazilian electronic music producer. In the 1990s, he was a member of the Eurodance group Sect. His debut solo record, '' Chromophobia'', was named album of the month by ''Mixmag''. He has since released six m ...

, Flow & Zeo ft. Karina Zeviani, Elekfantz *Thursday 24 September **Palco Mundo: System of a Down,

, Hollywood Vampires, CPM 22 **Palco Sunset:

Lamb of God Lamb of God (; , ) is a Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/John#1:29, John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, " ...

Halestorm Halestorm is an American Rock music, rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale, drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith. Siblings Lzzy and Arejay founded the band in ...

, Project46 + John Wayne **Eletrônica: Vintage Culture, Anderson Noise + Mau Mau + Renato Cohen, 2 Attack (Paula Chalup + Mau Mau) *Friday 25 September **Palco Mundo: Slipknot,

Mastodon A mastodon, from Ancient Greek μαστός (''mastós''), meaning "breast", and ὀδούς (''odoús'') "tooth", is a member of the genus ''Mammut'' (German for 'mammoth'), which was endemic to North America and lived from the late Miocene to ...

, De La Tierra **Palco Sunset:

Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai ( ; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a Transcription (music), transc ...

+ Camerata Florianópolis,

Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neval ...

+ Tony Kakko, Moonspell + Derrick Green, Clássicos do Terror **Eletrônica: Alok, Felguk, Marcelo Cic, Volkoder, Hnqo *Saturday 26 September **Palco Mundo:

, Sam Smith, Sheppard, Lulu Santos **Palco Sunset:

Sérgio Mendes Sérgio Santos Mendes (; 11 February 1941 – 5 September 2024) was a Brazilian musician. His career took off with worldwide hits by his band Brasil '66. He released 35 albums and was known for playing bossa nova, often mixed with funk. He ...

, Angélique Kidjo, Erasmo Carlos + Ultraje a Rigor, Brothers of Brazil ** Eletrônica: Matthias Tanzmann + Davide Squillace, DJ Vibe + Rui Vargas, Leo Janeiro + Leozinho, Conti + Mandi *Sunday 27 September **Palco Mundo:

, AlunaGeorge, Cidade Negra **Palco Sunset: Rio 450 Anos,

, Aurea + Boss AC, Suricato + Raul Midón **Eletrônica: Life is a Loop, Diego Miranda + Rodrigo Shà, Ely Yabu, Amanda Chang

''Rock in Rio 7'' (2017)

The seventh Brazilian edition was held in the City of Rock from 15 to 24 September 2017. The headliners were

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

, and

. Singer

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

was scheduled to perform on 15 September, but had to cancel 24 hours before due to

fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia (FM) is a functional somatic syndrome with symptoms of widespread chronic pain, accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbance including awakening unrefreshed, and Cognitive deficit, cognitive symptoms. Other symptoms can include he ...

. Maroon 5 performed a second concert due to her absence. Shawn Mendes and 5 Seconds of Summer also performed.

''Rock in Rio 8'' (2019)

The eight Brazilian edition was held from 27 September to 6 October 2019. It marked the first performance of singer Pink in Latin America

''Rock in Rio 9'' (2022)

The ninth edition of Rock in Rio in Brazil took place between 2–11 September 2022.

''Rock in Rio 10'' (2024)

The tenth edition of Rock in Rio in Brazil took place between 13–22 September 2024. It was the first Rock in Rio to dedicate an entire day of its line up to Brazilian artists only, with musical spectacles called "Forever...", featuring multiple artists from different genres.

Lisbon, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain

''Rock in Rio Lisboa'' (2004)

After the huge success of Rock in Rio 3 in Brazil, Roberta Medina decided to organize a festival of the same stature in Lisbon. The decision to maintain the name Rock in Rio was controversial, and detractors of the idea in Brazil started calling it ''Rock in Rio Tejo'', after the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

river (rio Tejo, in Portuguese) which runs through the Portuguese capital. The first edition of Rock in Rio Lisboa, as the festival was officially called, took place in 2004. Although the festival had a slight change of name, it kept the same structure as the Brazilian editions. An entire ''City of Rock'', with an area of over 260,000 audience was erected at the Bela Vista park, with a large centre stage and several tents where different artists would perform, simultaneously. Guns N' Roses were scheduled to perform at the festival, but had to cancel after guitarist

left in March. Full list of artists who performed at Rock in Rio Lisboa: * 28/05 **

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

* 29/05 ** Peter Gabriel **

** Jet (band), Jet **

** Nuno Norte * 30/05 **

** Seether ** Kings of Leon **

** Xutos & Pontapés * 4/06 **

** Incubus (band), Incubus ** Slipknot **

** Moonspell * 5/06 **

** Black Eyed Peas ** Daniela Mercury ** Sugababes ** João Pedro Pais ** Nuno Norte * 6/6 ** Sting **

** Pedro Abrunhosa ** Alejandro Sanz ** Ivete Sangalo ** Luís Represas

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 2'' (2006)

The second edition of Rock in Rio Lisboa was held in 2006, on 26/27 May and 2/3/4 June. *05/27 Friday **

** Ivete Sangalo ** D'ZRT *05/28 Saturday **

** The Darkness (band), The Darkness ** Xutos e Pontapés ** Pitty *06/02 Friday ** Roger Waters ** Santana (band), Santana **

** Jota Quest *06/03 Saturday **

** Da Weasel ** Kasabian ** Orishas (band), Orishas *06/04 Sunday ** Sting ** Anastacia ** Corinne Bailey Rae **

''Rock in Rio Lisboa & Madrid'' (2008)

The third edition of Rock in Rio took place in

, Portugal, on 30 May 31 and 1 June and 5–6. The dates for Arganda del Rey,

, were 27 June 28 and 4–6 July.

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 3''

30 May *Paulo Gonzo * Ivete Sangalo *Amy Winehouse *

(and Daniel R.) 31 May * Skank *Alanis Morissette *Alejandro Sanz *

1 June *Docemania *Just Girls *4 Taste * Xutos & Pontapés *Tokio Hotel *

5 June *

*Machine Head (band), Machine Head *Apocalyptica * Moonspell 6 June *Linkin Park *

*Kaiser Chiefs *Orishas (band), Orishas

''Rock in Rio Madrid''

27 June *Alanis Morissette *Jack Johnson (musician), Jack Johnson *Manolo García *

28 June *Mando Diao *El Canto Del Loco *Tokio Hotel *

4 July *

*Amy Winehouse *Stereophonics 5 July *The Police *Alejandro Sanz *Estopa * Ivete Sangalo 6 July *

*Franz Ferdinand (band), Franz Ferdinand *Chris Cornell *Tiësto

''Rock in Rio Lisboa & Madrid'' (2010)

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 4''

21 May / 82.000 *

* Ivete Sangalo *Mariza 22 May / 45.000 *

*Trovante *Leona Lewis *Soulwax, 2 MANY DJS LIVE *João Pedro Pais 27 May / 85.000 *

* Xutos & Pontapés *Fonzie ''(replaced Sum 41)'' *Sum 41 ''(canceled)'' 29 May / 88.000 *Miley Cyrus *McFly *D'ZRT *Amy Macdonald 30 May / 38.000 *Rammstein *

*Soulfly

''Rock in Rio Madrid 2''

4 June / 51.000 *

*Paul van Dyk *Mägo de Oz ''(replaced John Mayer)'' *

''(canceled)'' 5 June / 90.000 *

*Calle 13 (band), Calle 13 *

6 June / 40.000 *Miley Cyrus *McFly *Amy Macdonald 11 June / 30.000 *Rage Against the Machine *Jane's Addiction *Cypress Hill *Tiësto 14 June / 48.000 *

*Sôber *Marillion

''Rock in Rio Lisboa & Madrid'' (2012)

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 5''

* 5/25 Friday ** Palco Mundo:

, Tambours Du Bronx ** Palco Sunset: Kreator + Andreas Kisser, Mão Morta + Pedro Laginha, Ramp + Teratron ** Eletrónica Heineken: Chase and Status, DJ Set & Rage, Dr Lectroluv, Life is a Loop, Leo Janeiro, Tha lovely Bastards (Mad Mac and Nuno Lopes), Bis Boys Please, MC Johnny Def ** Rock Street: * 5/26 Saturday ** Palco Mundo: Linkin Park, Smashing Pumpkins,

, Limp Bizkit ** Palco Sunset: Xutos & Titãs, Mafalda Veiga & Marcelo Jeneci, Rita Redshoes & Moreno Veloso ** Eletrónica Heineken: Azari & III, The Magician, Punks Jump Up, The Discotexas Band, Pedro Quintão, Mirror People (Rui Maia/X Wife), MC Johnny Def ** Rock Street: * 6/1 Friday ** Palco Mundo:

, Ivete Sangalo, Expensive Soul ** Palco Sunset: Boss Ac & Zé Ricardo + Paula Lima, Orelha Negra + Hyldon + Kassin, Black Mamba & Tiago Bettencourt ** Eletrónica Heineken: Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Dyed Soundorom, Kings of Swingers (Renato Rathier + Mau Mau), Magazino, José Belo + Zé Salvador, MC Johnny Def ** Rock Street: * 6/2 Saturday ** Palco Mundo:

, Bryan Adams,

, The Gift ** Palco Sunset: Luis Represas & Joao Gil & Jorge Palma, Amor Electro & Moska, Ana Free + The Monomes ** Eletrónica Heineken: Masters at Work (Louie Vega + Kenny Dope Gonzales), The Martinez Brothers, JohnWaynes Live DJ, Miguel Rendeiro, DJ Poppy, MC Johnny Def ** Rock Street: * 6/3 Sunday ** Palco Mundo: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Xutos & Pontapés, James (band), James, Kaiser Chiefs ** Palco Sunset: Rui Veloso + Erasmo Carlos, David Fonseca + Convidado, Carminho + Convidado ** Eletrónica Heineken: DJ Harvey, DJ Vibe, Dop Live, DJ Dixon, Stereo Addiction, Mc Johnny Def ** Rock Street:

''Rock in Rio Madrid 3''

* 6/30 Saturday **

, Luciano (DJ), Luciano, Macaco * 7/5 Thursday **

(canceled), Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris * 7/6 Friday — "Noche Electrónica" **

, Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull, Erick Morillo, Pete Tong, Afrojack, Wally Lopez, Martin Solveig * 7/7 Saturday **

, Incubus (band), Incubus, Gogol Bordello, Deadmau5

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 6'' (2014)

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 7'' (2016)

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 8'' (2018)

24 June sold out almost three months prior to the festival.

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 9'' (2022)

The festival was originally set to take place in June 2020, but was postponed to 2021 and again to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

''Rock in Rio Lisboa 10'' (2024)

Las Vegas

''Rock in Rio USA'' (2015)

"Rock in Rio USA" was the first North American edition of the festival, being held in

on 8, 9, 15 and 16 May 2015. The festival took place on two weekends, oriented towards rock and pop music. Rock Weekend took place on 8 and 9 May, and Pop Weekend took place on 15 and 16 May. It took place in the City of Rock (Las Vegas), located north of the Las Vegas Strip. *Friday 8 May **Main Stage: No Doubt,

, The Pretty Reckless, Smallpools, Cirque du Soleil **Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage: Foster the People, Gary Clark, Jr., Theophilus London, Saints of Valory **EDM Stage: AN21, Ftampa, Wax Motif, MVTH *Saturday 9 May **Main Stage:

, Linkin Park, Rise Against, Hollywood Undead **Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage:

featuring

, Coheed & Cambria, Of Mice & Men (band), Of Mice & Men **EDM Stage: Alok, Caked Up, The Gaslamp Killer, Felguk *Friday 15 May **Main Stage: Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Echosmith, Ivete Sangalo **Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage: Jessie J, Charli XCX, Tove Lo, James Bay (singer), James Bay **EDM Stage: Heidi Lawden, Valida, Jeniluv, Whitney Fierce *Saturday 16 May **Main Stage:Bruno Mars,

, Empire of the Sun (band), Empire of the Sun, Big Sean **Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage:

, Magic!, Mayer Hawthorne, Mikky Ekko **EDM Stage: DJ Vibe, Lovefingers, Renato Ratier, Behrouz

Live broadcasts

The TV Globo Networks broadcast selected Rock in Rio concerts in Brazil, with cable affiliate Multishow broadcasting live concerts. In Nigeria, TNT and A&E broadcasts the festival live. In Portugal, ''Rock in Rio Lisboa'' is broadcast by SIC Radical.

References

Footnotes

Citations

External links

* {{Authority control Pop music festivals Brazilian rock music Music festivals in Brazil Music in Rio de Janeiro (city) Rock festivals in Brazil Rock festivals in Portugal Rock festivals in Spain Festivals in Rio de Janeiro Music festivals in Rio de Janeiro (state) Electronic music festivals in Spain Electronic music festivals in Portugal Electronic music festivals in Brazil Music festivals established in 1985 1985 establishments in Brazil