This article delves into the editorial processes that triggered the so-called ‘boom of Portuguese rock’ of the early 1980s, a term commonly used to denote the initial surge of commercial success for rock music created, recorded, and released in Portugal. I aim to spotlight the changes that shaped the development of rock music in Portugal at the turn of the 1970s to the 1980s, emphasizing the pivotal role of the record company Valentim de Carvalho in this period. During the late 1970s, shifts in the record publishing personnel significantly contributed to the primary upsurge in commercial success of records released by Portuguese rock bands and sung in Portuguese. The debut of Chico Fininho by Rui Veloso & A Banda Sonora and Cavalos de Corrida by UHF, both released by Valentim de Carvalho in 1980, were inaugural milestones of this success. By connecting this phenomenon with the various social and political transformations of that time, I explore the interplay between editors and musicians at Valentim de Carvalho, whose staff actively  engaged in shaping the musical endeavours of these groups and their repertoire.