More than a city, Jakarta is a destination encompassing an array of unique and exciting areas. It is the melting point of various ethnic groups in Indonesia. The city is endowed with rich traditional cultural heritage and becomes lively because of its teens’ dynamical lifestyle and creativity. Their extra-school activities and hobbies become an important part of the entertainment business. One of the activities of some youngsters in music arrangements and performance make the music industry flourish.
The musical life in Indonesia has experienced up and down cycles. When musical groups started to establish and develop in the early 1960s, at the same time when the Beatles reached its peak, the musical groups in Indonesia faced a bleak situation as the political life became very intense. It was the period when the Indonesian communist party was in its apogee. Soekarno banned the musical groups which he considered as too westernized. Some of the band members were even put in jail. The musical groups slowly rose again when the Old Order crumpled and life became more warm and open. For the young generation that dark period was just history.
Indonesia with its 230 million population is obviously a huge market for music records. With such potential buyers, it is not too hard for the talented group to break the commercial limit of 50,000 record sales. For those who gain sales of 100,000 copies are eligible to be awarded a golden trophy and a platinum trophy for 150,000 sales.
In terms of record sales, market size in Indonesia is estimated at around Rp1 trillion (US$ 110 million) per annum (in 2004). However, because of piracy, legal record album sales were declining sharply at around 20% annually. Recording industry as one of the most important elements of Indonesia's music industry suffered heavy blows. If in 2005 the number of tapes, CDs and VCDs that circulated in Indonesia reached 30 million pieces, then in 2006 the figure had shrunk to 24 million copies continued to decline in 2007 to reach 19 million pieces and only about 15 million in 2008, and was estimated at as low as 9 million in 2010.
Although the movement of anti-piracy continued, the piracy remained rampant. The circulation of pirated products was estimated to reach 90% of the original ones. That is, one official album release, 9 pirated copies have appeared on the market.
Indonesia with its 230 million population is obviously a huge market for music records. With such potential buyers, it is not too hard for the talented group to break the commercial limit of 50,000 record sales. For those who gain sales of 100,000 copies are eligible to be awarded a golden trophy and a platinum trophy for 150,000 sales.
In terms of record sales, market size in Indonesia is estimated at around Rp1 trillion (US$ 110 million) per annum (in 2004). However, because of piracy, legal record album sales were declining sharply at around 20% annually. Recording industry as one of the most important elements of Indonesia's music industry suffered heavy blows. If in 2005 the number of tapes, CDs and VCDs that circulated in Indonesia reached 30 million pieces, then in 2006 the figure had shrunk to 24 million copies continued to decline in 2007 to reach 19 million pieces and only about 15 million in 2008, and was estimated at as low as 9 million in 2010.
Although the movement of anti-piracy continued, the piracy remained rampant. The circulation of pirated products was estimated to reach 90% of the original ones. That is, one official album release, 9 pirated copies have appeared on the market.
Notwithstanding, the progress of technological development and its direct effect on the lower price of the cassette, CD and DVD players make musical bands flourish in Indonesia. The easiness to record the music, the availability of electrical music instruments and the dream to receive wide promotion nationally is the reasons why the establishment of music bands is growing so fast.
Today there are around 166 professional music groups in Indonesia the majority of which having the domicile in Jakarta. Some music groups evolve from street singers who are used to performing their singing in the crowded sidewalks and sometimes illegally in the buses and commuter train. Due to their mobility, their instruments are usually simple consisting of guitar and banjo.
As they grow up, they become “Indie” music groups with more complete and sophisticated instruments. As their financial capability is relatively weak, they do everything themselves including recording, promotion, marketing, sales, and book-keeping. Indie music groups are numerous, there are around 1,200 in Jakarta alone, around 1,000 in Yogyakarta and Central Java, not to mention in other cities in Indonesia.
Usually, they start by imitating the songs of famous music bands and step by step they composed their own songs. In music term, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie", is used to describe an autonomous group, independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, an approach of "do-it-yourself" to music recording and publishing.
Then, at the top level, there are professional groups which are financially powerful enough that they can hire band management which handles two or more music groups. As they grow stronger, they would become management band capable of hiring their own managers and book-keepers.
The professional and indie music groups develop well and are in a complementary position. There is probably no difference in talents of both group members but their fate depends on the public acceptance and opportunities to perform music on special occasions.
The music audiences today are more segmented due to the increasing number of music bands with their own specialties including heavy metal, thrash metal, reggae, pop, new wave, high octane rock and last but not least the semi-traditional "dangdut" and some other ones.
Most of the newcomers have to sign their working contracts with the giant musical recorders which in turn handle their promotion, recordings, merchandise or market their albums through internet, TV programs and radio which air musical performances of the newcomers.
Another activity such as the TV program like “Indonesia Mencari Bakat” (Searching for Talented Persons) aired by TV channels is able to find talented young people as singers and vocal groups enabling them to develop their abilities and allow them to enter the music studio recording. Another TV program of Indonesian Idol, resembling the American Idol program, for a few years was able to grab talented singers which were finally hired by the recording companies or they joined with other group bands in Jakarta.
