the type of music was particularly embraced by many young, unviersity demonstrators, who were searching for a popular native sound, less sophisticated than bossa nova but different than traditional samba with daring lyrics -  the music challenged the government, helping gain more supporters which spreaded the sound across the country.  

rio was at the heart of the blossoming of this heralded national symbol, and amongst some of the seminal names in carioca mpb was francisco buarque de hollanda, more commonly known as chico buarque - born in rio de janeiro and also a successful novelist and playwright, he went on to become both a pioneer and one of the greatest names of the genre.

amongst his most celebrated songs are 'construção' (construction), and 'joão e maria' - buarque would eventually publish up to eighty albums and write lyrics for other artists, especially cariocas, helping to create a solid and flourishing environment for the popular music in the city.