With major names taking the stage, artists making history and unexpected collaborations surprising audiences, Rock in Rio 2026 brought together some of the most talked-about performances of the year. Here are some of the festival’s biggest highlights:
Elton jhon’s return to the stage
One of the most emotional moments of the festival came from one of its biggest legends. Elton John had previously announced his retirement from touring after his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, but made an exception to return to the stage for Rock in Rio.
Performing classics from his decades-long career, the 79-year-old singer turned his set into a celebration of his legacy. The atmosphere was especially nostalgic as thousands of fans sang along to songs that have become part of popular culture. For many in the audience, simply seeing Elton back on a festival stage made the performance feel like a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The performance was considered the best one by many critics.
September 5: A Night For ROCK AND METAL
September 5 was arguably the festival’s most intense day for rock fans, with a powerful lineup spread across the two stages: “Palco Mundo” and “Palco Sunset”. On the first one, Brazilian metal legends Sepultura opened the day, followed by Machine Gun Kelly, Bring Me The Horizon and Avenged Sevenfold.
For Sepultura, the performance was particularly significant: it marked the band’s first time playing on the festival’s main stage, adding another milestone to their farewell tour and celebrating the strength of Brazilian metal.
The night then reached another level with Bring Me The Horizon, whose energetic and interactive performance captivated the crowd. British frontman Oli Sykes is also a Brazilian citizen and has a strong personal connection to the country, where he lives part-time. Brazilians have a particularly strong affection for the singer, making his connection with the audience even more special.
Avenged Sevenfold closed “Palco Mundo” after rain delayed their set. Even so, fans stayed and were rewarded with an energetic performance packed with fan favorites, pyrotechnics and songs such as “Seize the Day” and “A Little Piece of Heaven.”
Meanwhile, “Palco Sunset” offered its own heavy lineup, featuring Malvada, Black Pantera, Poppy and Bad Omens, adding even more variety to an already packed day for rock fans.
Stray Kids brings k-pop to rock in rio
Rock in Rio made history by welcoming K-pop to the “Palco Mundo” for the first time, with Stray Kids as the main attraction of the festival’s first K-pop day.
The group drew one of the largest crowds of the main stage during the edition, with fans filling the area with lightsticks and singing along to songs such as “MANIAC” and “God’s Menu.” Their festival performance was somewhat more focused on audience interaction than their usual highly choreographed shows, and the group also performed with a live band.
But perhaps the moment that most delighted Brazilian fans was when member Bang Chan sang part of the Brazilian classic “Ai, Se Eu Te Pego.” The unexpected tribute quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the show, adding a distinctly Brazilian touch to the group’s historic debut.
Calvin harris turns the stage into a dance floor
Calvin Harris also made history at this year’s festival as the first DJ to headline the “Palco Mundo” alone. Instead of a traditional band or singer closing the stage, the Scottish producer turned the festival’s main stage into a massive open-air dance floor.
Even the rain did little to stop the crowd. Harris went through some of his biggest collaborations and hits, including “One Kiss”, which was ranked as the song that made the Palco Mundo audience vibrate the most during the festival’s first four days.
The performance also showed how much electronic music has become part of the festival’s mainstream identity. By the end of the set, thousands of people were still dancing despite the weather, making Harris’s debut one of the edition’s biggest parties.
DEMI LOVATO AND PABLO VITTAR’S POP POWERHOUSE MOMENT
Demi Lovato delivered a set that mixed songs from her newer, more dance-oriented era with some of the hits that made her a longtime favorite among Brazilian fans. The audience sang along to “Heart Attack,” “Give Your Heart a Break,” “Confident” and other fan favorites, with social media reactions particularly praising her vocals and the crowd’s knowledge of her older songs.
But the biggest surprise came toward the end of the performance, when Pabllo Vittar joined Demi on stage for “Cool for the Summer.” The collaboration had already sparked speculation after the two were seen together in Rio and shared moments from their rehearsal, so the actual appearance sent the crowd into a frenzy.
The two pop stars performing one of Demi’s biggest hits together quickly became one of the festival’s most celebrated moments online – a particularly memorable meeting between an international pop star and one of Brazil’s biggest drag artists.
With legendary artists, new sounds and surprising encounters sharing the same festival, Rock in Rio 2026 brought together different generations, genres and fan communities. And if this edition showed anything, it is that the festival’s biggest highlights are often the moments that bring thousands of people together – whether they are singing, dancing, or simply experiencing something they will not soon forget.
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The article above was edited by Rafaela Mina.
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