William H. Frederick
“Rhoma Irama and The Dangdut Style: Aspects of Contemporary Indonesian Popular Culture”
Indonesia Vol 34, 1982
Short Text
Dangdut, the style of music here defended by contemporary Indonesia’s best- known popular entertainer, has been of enormous influence in much of the post- Sukarno period, especially the years 1975-1981. Aimed directly at youth, it is dominated by a pulsating dance rhythm, and a populist message, with both Islamic and secular variants. It has produced Indonesia’s first true entertainment super- stars ; 3 played a large role in creating a market for the mass media in Indonesia (not only cassette tapes but radio, movies, and television) ; made a mark on other areas of cultural activity, especially literature; sparked open and often heated debate over the state of Indonesian culture; and given Indonesian Islam a new kind of public identity. And while dangdut has been criticized on various grounds, it has been notable for the number and devotion of its fans in cities as well as villages throughout the archipelago… (see the long version in link that i refer)
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