Ar de Rock was commercially successful in Portugal immediately after its release and is retrospectively considered a landmark album of Portuguese pop-rock music.

[6] Francisco Vasconcelos, executive manager at Valentim de Carvalho in the 1980s, said that "with Rui Veloso the politics went out and the social side entered the Portuguese pop music.

With Rui Veloso we stopped listening and started feeling and dancing the music made in Portugal.

The success of Ar de Rock happened because, in 1980, Portugal was a country that desperately wanted to change.

"[4] In 2000, a tribute album named 20 anos depois - Ar de Rock was released, containing covers from various notable Portuguese artists.