Brazilian entrepreneur and advertiser Roberto Medina was responsible for the inception and organization of the festival, as well as moving the 2004 edition to Lisbon, while controversially keeping the brand "Rock in Rio".

Its seven nights were headlined, respectively, by Sting, R.E.M., Guns N' Roses, 'N Sync, Iron Maiden, Neil Young and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Once O Rappa 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 remained in the evening, they were expelled, and five other Brazilian bands, Jota Quest, Raimundos, Charlie Brown Jr., Skank and Cidade Negra, withdrew from the festival in protest.

Profits from the sale of the album were donated to the Clive Burr fund, helping their former drummer pay mounting medical bills for his multiple sclerosis.

[13] A notable appearance at Rock in Rio 3 was that of American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, their first large show since 1993, with a new line-up featuring vocalist Axl Rose, guitarists Buckethead, Robin Finck & Paul Tobias, bassist Tommy Stinson, drummer Brain and keyboardists Dizzy Reed & Chris Pitman.

[15] Bassist Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age performed nude for part of their set and was arrested for indecent exposure after the concert, being released soon after.

The headline acts, chronologically, were: Beyoncé,[20][21] Muse, Justin Timberlake, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Iron Maiden.

The headliners were Queen + Adam Lambert, Metallica, Rod Stewart, Elton John, System of a Down, Slipknot, Rihanna and Katy Perry.

It marked the first performance of singer Pink in Latin America Drake Ellie Goulding Bebe Rexha Alok Foo Fighters Weezer Tenacious D CPM 22 + Raimundos Whitesnake Bon Jovi Dave Matthews Band Goo Goo Dolls Ivete Sangalo Red Hot Chili Peppers Panic!

at the Disco Nile Rodgers & Chic Capital Inicial Iron Maiden Scorpions Helloween Sepultura P!nk The Black Eyed Peas

Anitta Muse Imagine Dragons Nickelback Os Paralamas do Sucesso The ninth edition of Rock in Rio in Brazil took place between 2–11 September 2022.

[23] Iron Maiden Dream Theater Gojira Sepultura + Brazilian Symphony Orchestra Post Malone Marshmello Jason Derulo Alok Justin Bieber Demi Lovato Iza Jota Quest Guns N' Roses Måneskin The Offspring

Green Day Fall Out Boy Billy Idol Capital Inicial Coldplay Camila Cabello Bastille Djavan Dua Lipa Megan Thee Stallion Rita Ora Ivete Sangalo The tenth edition of Rock in Rio in Brazil took place between 13–22 September 2024.

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.