Rock In Rio 30th Anniversary: The Top 10 Performances In Festival's History
April 6 2015, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
The legendary music festival Rock in Rio may have superstar Taylor Swift on its lineup for it's first-ever stateside stop in honor of the festival's 30th anniversary, but the some of the most iconic bands in music history have joined in celebration for the Brazilian cultural phenomena over the years! In fact, more than 1,274 musical acts from The Rolling Stones to Beyonce have rocked the stages in Brazil, Spain and Portugal—and now the U.S.!—since 1985. Click through to see which artists have hit the stage for one of the largest music festivals in the world.
paul mccartney rock in rio
In 2004, history was made when Paul McCartney opened the festival for its debut in Lisbon.
Fast forward a few decades later, 1985 headliner Brazilian singer Cazuza also came back for the 2013 tour, which included Beyonce.
Following their performances in the inaugural Rock in Rio festival, The Go-Go's actually briefly broke up before reuniting the following decade.
At the second edition held in 1991 at the Maracanã Stadium, Guns N' Roses headlined for two days.
By the third annual celebration, "Fire & Rain" singer James Taylor was part of the bill.
Prince and his iconic dance moves also rocked the stage in 1991.
The first-ever festival in Rio had over 1.38 million attendees, making it five times larger than the legendary Woodstock. No wonder, too, since the headliners included the likes of Queen and AC/DC.
On what was then the biggest stage in the world ever built so far, Nina Hagen insisted that Rock in Rio creator, Robert Medina, add her to the inaugural lineup for free!
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Speaking of boy bands, NSYNC danced up a storm in 2001.
Newkids_rockinrio
It wasn't all rock 'n' roll, either. New Kids On The Block brought the heat to Rio in 1991.
