Alok has been voted the best performance of Rock in Rio 2026 in a poll run by CNN Brasil, after the festival wrapped up its seven-day run at the Cidade do Rock in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
CNN Brasil said the event drew more than 700,000 spectators over the seven days of shows.
The outlet had asked readers to pick the best show among the festival's main highlights. Alok came out on top for his closing set on the New Dance Order stage, the area dedicated to electronic music, on Saturday, September 12.
Alok's record-breaking set
The Brazilian DJ broke the New Dance Order stage's attendance record since it was created, performing his "Rave The World" project. Alok had played at previous editions of Rock in Rio, but this was the first time he performed on the New Dance Order stage; in earlier years he appeared on the Mundo stage.
As is typical of his shows, the set included drones, pyrotechnics and choreography from a group of dancers. Alok comes from a family with deep ties to electronic music, and he took the stage after a set from his parents, Swarup and Ekanta. Earlier in the day, his twin brother, Baskhar, also performed. Other DJs outside the family, including Adam Sellouk and Gabe, also played the stage.
Other festival highlights
Rock in Rio, first held in 1985, is one of the world's largest music festivals and has since expanded to editions in other countries. This year's lineup at the Cidade do Rock also included Elton John, who gave his final performance in South America, and the festival's first-ever K-pop acts, marking the genre's debut at Rock in Rio.
Pop also had a strong presence, with sets from Maroon 5 and Demi Lovato, while two days of the programme were set aside specifically for rock acts.
