Heavy metal is a long-standing tradition at Rock in Rio. The term "metaleiro," now fondly embraced by its followers, is said to have been coined by TV Globo during the broadcasts of the festival's first edition in 1985, when Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions and Whitesnake performed in Brazil for the first time. Since then, several of these artists have returned to the festival, consolidating metal day as an institution.
In 2026, metal day is present at the festival during a Saturday, but with no artist with 40 or 50 years of career on the lineup. The big exception is Sepultura, a frequent band at Rock in Rio, which performs for the last time before their retirement.
Andreas Kisser, the band's guitarist, comments that the history of Sepultura at Rock in Rio is rich. The band's farewell marks a "passing of the baton" to new generation bands that also perform at the event, representing the continuity of heavy metal at the festival.
