This thesis is a study of a form of popular music in Indonesia called dangdut.  The study examines the way in which the music has been changed and developed through time by agents in different social, political, economic, and cultural contexts.  It is argued that the place of dangdut in the society corresponds to the different social and cultural environments of given periods.  The study also argues that dangdut is a cultural phenomenon which has various meanings to different agents.  On the other hand, the consumption of this music can be seen as an act of internalization of a material culture into the agents’ predisposition. [dangdutstudies.com copyrights] Therefore, different meanings are also generated from different consumers.  However, the different mings produced from dangdut cannot totally be detached from the material aspects of the music.  Although different agents may emphasize different material aspects of the music in giving them different meanings, the difference is encompassed by the fact they are embodied in the same cultural material.  In the case of dangdut, the rhythmic element of the music that connects the music to dancing activities is the main material aspects that accommodate the filler meanings attach to it.  This thesis also argues that in popular music, meaning is not necessarily a field where the dominant class excercises its cultural domination.  [dangdutstudies.com copyrights] The separation of economic capital and cultural capital in modern societies makes it possible for the donor class to match the dominated cultural idioms for their own benefits.  Finally, the existence of popular music has a significant role in a plural society.  Popular music provides a means for members of a plural society to have the commonality needed to maintain a sense of unity.