Rock in Rio 2026: live music still draws thousands

The opening weekend of Rock in Rio drew thousands of visitors from 125 countries, at a time when music and live shows fit into a mobile phone. Rock in Rio has returned to Lisbon for its 11th edition and drew more than 200,000 visitors over the festival's opening weekend. This comes at a time when people can listen to music and watch concerts via digital platforms. The ease of access to music does not appear to be replacing live shows. Many festivalgoers say that being at a concert in person is an incomparable experience. Speaking to Euronews at the Rock in Rio venue, held in Parque Papa Francisco, festivalgoer Pedro Paiva says that "watching a concert in the middle of so many people is a completely different experience". "I like being in the middle of people, I like dancing. At home I'd be sitting on the sofa watching the concert on television. With social networks, it's also normal to feel a bit of FOMO [the English expression Fear Of Missing Out, meaning the fear of being left out or of missing something], to be watching it and wanting to be there, without having bought a ticket," adds Pedro Paiva. Festivalgoer Inês Pestana also argues that "streaming and social media do not replace the live experience. I think they even increase, more and more, the desire to go to festivals or to any other concert". More than just a music event, Rock in Rio is a meeting place for different generations, where people can socialise, take part in interactive activities - such as riding the Ferris wheel, trying the zip line or joining in brand activations -, and explore the wide range of food options available on site. While some choose to go to the festival to hear their favourite artists live, others are mainly looking for the experience of living the event and feeling the collective energy of a crowd singing in unison. "It's so cool, it feels like we're all here for the same thing. It's like everyone is on my Spotify playlist. It's so funny," says festivalgoer Inês Vieira to Euronews, when asked about what it's like to hear a crowd singing her favourite songs. Rock in Rio given score of 8 out of 10 Visitors over the festival's first weekend gave an average score of 8 out of 10 for the overall experience, according to a study carried out by Marktest. "This edition cements Parque Tejo/Papa Francisco as the home of this new Rock in Rio Lisboa, with an increasingly relevant musical line-up, more entertainment and better infrastructure, welcoming thousands of Portuguese people and visitors from 125 countries to celebrate with us. We are very happy to see that the effort to raise the quality of services and the overall experience has been recognised by the public, and committed to delivering another great weekend on the 27th and 28th," stressed Roberta Medina, executive vice-president of Rock in Rio. The first day of the festival, 20 June, was dedicated to pop music, with Calema, Pedro Sampaio, Charlie Puth and Katy Perry performing on the World Stage, Rock in Rio's main stage. On the second day, 21 June, rock took centre stage, with Linkin Park, Cypress Hill, The Pretty Reckless and Grandson attracting most of the attention. Rock in Rio returns next weekend. On Saturday, 27 June, it will welcome artists such as Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper, Shaggy and 4 Non Blondes, while 21 Savage, Central Cee, Rema and Matuê will close the festival on Sunday, 28 June.