Billboard Brasil

Rock arrived in Brazil in the 1950s as a breath of rebellion — and never stopped.

In the 1960s and 1970s, it matured and developed its own distinctive accent. In the 1980s and 1990s, it took root and dominated generations. From the 2000s onward, it reinvented itself, engaging with the new without losing its essence. Throughout these four eras, artists, bands, producers, and managers were more than protagonists: they were locomotives. They were the ones who pushed the genre forward, even when the tracks were uncertain.

They fused rock with samba, baião, and tropicalism—and showed that rock is about resistance, adaptation, and provocation. Each distorted chord carries history, movement, and transformation.

The following list celebrates those who made Brazilian rock a tireless cultural engine, driven by vision, attitude, and passion. Billboard Brasil Locomotivas do Rock is a tribute to one hundred names who propelled the genre and made its trajectory unstoppable.

By the end of this reading, you'll probably find yourself playing air guitar without even realizing it. We understand. Because that's what rock is: a living celebration of authenticity. And these locomotives are proof that, in Brazil, rock has never stopped—and never will.

Check out the article: https://billboard.com.br/locomotivas/

“Thank you @billboardbr for the recognition as part of the locomotive of Brazilian Rock.

So many stories and so much joy in over 65 years working with music and for music!”

It's a great pleasure to have been part of the careers of legendary names in Brazilian Rock: Ney Matogrosso, Rita Lee & Roberto de Carvalho, Titãs, RPM, and so many others…

Manoel Poladian