Brazil’s Rock in Rio festival was first held in 1985.
The inaugural Rock in Rio ran from January 11 to 20, 1985, in Rio de Janeiro. It was created by Brazilian entrepreneur Roberto Medina and became one of the largest music festivals ever staged at that time, attracting major international performers alongside leading Brazilian artists.
The first edition featured Queen, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, James Taylor, Rod Stewart, and Yes, among others. Queen performed on both the opening and closing nights, giving the festival an especially prominent rock connection.
Rock in Rio later developed into a recurring international brand with editions in Lisbon, Madrid, and Las Vegas, as well as Brazil. Its 1985 debut is historically significant because it brought a large-scale, globally marketed rock festival to Brazil during a period of major political and cultural change.