Contemporary musics

The contemporary music of Indonesia is diverse and vibrant. Throughout its history, Indonesian musicians were open to foreign influences of various music genres of the world. American jazz were heavily marketed in Asia, and foxtrots, tangos, rumbas, blues and Hawaiian guitar styles were all imitated by Indonesian musicians. As the result various genres were developed within Indonesian music frame; Indonesian pop, rock, jazz, and hip hop.

Indonesian music also plays a vital role in the Indonesian creative pop culture, especially as the soundtracks or theme songs of Indonesian cinema and sinetrons (Indonesian TV drama). Indonesian popular film Badai Pasti Berlalu (1977) were also produced successful soundtrack hit with same title in the same year, the soundtrack was remaked in 1999 with Chrisye as the main singer and rendered by Erwin Gutawa in orchestra style. In 2007 the film also being remaked again with new soundtract that still featuring same songs performed by younger generation artist. Another popular Indonesian coming of age teen movie Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (2002) also produced successful soundtrack hits with most songs written and performed by Melly Goeslaw.

Today Indonesian music industry enjoyed nationwide popularity. Thanks to common culture and intelligible languages between Indonesian and Malay, Indonesian music enjoyed regional popularity in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. However the overwhelming popularity of Indonesian music in Malaysia had alarmed the Malaysian music industry. In 2008 Malaysian music industry demanded the restriction of Indonesian songs on Malaysian radio broadcasts.

Orchestra

The classical music have reached Indonesia since the era of Dutch East Indies as early as 18th century, enjoyed only by a handful of wealthy Dutch plantation owners and officers in elite social clubs and ballrooms such as Societeit Harmonie in Batavia and Societeit Concordia in Bandung. De Schouwburg van Batavia (today Gedung Kesenian Jakarta) was designed as concert hall in 19th century. Associated as the music of refined, wealthy and educated high class citizen, the exclusive and prestigious classical music never penetrate the whole population during East Indies colonial era. The type of western-derived music that transcends the social barrier at that time was Kroncong, known as the lower-class music.

An amateur group called "Bataviasche Philharmonic Orchestra" was established in Dutch Colonial times, later it turned into the NIROM orchestra, as soon as the radio broadcasting station Nederlandsch-Indische Radio Omroep Maatschappij was born in 1912. Today it is known as Jakarta Symphony Orchestra that has existed in the country's musical world for almost a century through its changing formats to suit prevailing trends and needs. In 1950, a merger of the Cosmopolitan Orchestra under Joel Cleber and the Jakarta Studio Orchestra under Sutedjo and Iskandar appeared as the Djakarta Radio Orchestra under Henkie Strake for classical repertoires, and the Jakarta Studio Orchestra led by Syaiful Bachri specialized in Indonesian pieces. In 2010 Jakarta Symphony Orchestra staged a comeback after a fairly long absence. 

In 1960s to 1980s classical music in Indonesia aired mainly by the national radio broadcasting service Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) and the national TV station Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) through their programs. During these decade, the classical orchestra mainly developed in Universities as extracurricular activity for students which include choir. In 1990s the group of professional symphony orchestra start to took form, notably The Twilite Orchestra led by Adie MS, was founded in June 1991, initially an ensemble with 20 musicians. The ensemble has developed since then into a full symphonic orchestra with 70 musicians, a 63-member Twilite Chorus, and a repertoire that ranges from Beethoven to The Beatles.[7] The orchestra has played a role in promoting Indonesian music, especially in the preservation of national songs by Indonesian composers and traditional songs. Aided by the Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra with the Twilite Chorus, Addie MS re-recorded the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya, by WR Supratman in its original orchestral arrangement by Jos Cleber, as well as other Indonesian popular national songs in the album Simfoni Negeriku.

Today, major cities like Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya are no strangers to orchestral music, with their own symphony groups. Jakarta, for instance, has its Nusantara Symphony Orchestra, the Twilite Orchestra and the Jakarta Chamber Orchestra.

Indo pop

Peterpan, one of Indonesia's popular bands

Indonesian pop music today is known simply as "pop Indonesia" is heavily influenced by trends and recordings from America.[8] Although influences ranging from Bollywood soundtracks to Hollywood pop acts are obvious, the Indonesian pop phenomena is not completely derivative; it expresses the sentiments and styles of contemporary Indonesian life.

Koes Bersaudara later formed as Koes Plus is considered as one of the pioneer of Indonesian pop and rock 'n roll music in 1960s and 1970s. The American and British music influences were obvious in the music of Koes Bersaudara, The Beatles were known to be the main influences of this band. Several Indonesian pop and ballad singers were survived through decades and become Indonesian music legends, such as Iwan Fals, Franky Sahilatua and Chrisye.

Today, the popular bands include Peterpan, Radja, Gigi, Dewa 19, Sheila on 7, D'Masiv and Nidji, all of which tour regularly in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia and are featured on MTV Asia.

Some of Indonesian pop bands are rekindle with their Malay roots and revived a genre called "Band Pop Melayu" (Pop Malay Band) and popular in late 2000s. The pop Malay bands are Kangen Band, WALI, Hijau Daun, Armada, Angkasa, and ST 12. This genre is the contemporary form of old Orkes Melayu style, once popular in the region across Indonesia and Malaysia.

The most recent foreign influences on Indonesian pop musics are the style and genre of J-pop and K-pop. Several bands such as J-Rocks, Geisha, Daishi and SM*SH boyband are imitating the style of Japan and Korea pop culture.

Indonesian rock

Just like pop music, Indonesian rock scene also heavily influenced by the development of rock music in America. The most influential Indonesian rock bands was probably Panbers and God Bless that popular in 1970s and 1980s. In late 1980s to mid 1990s several female rock singers popularly known as "Lady Rockers" were famous in Indonesia, such as Nicky Astria, Inka Christie, and Anggun that started her career in as a pop-rock singer in Indonesia before moving to France and pursue her international career. Other notable rock bands include Slank, Netral, /rif and Jamrud.

Jazz fusion

Some of Indonesian musicians and bands were exploring the jazz music. Notable Indonesian jazz musicians are; Modulus band, Karimata band, Barry Likumahua, Indra Lesmana, Syaharani, Maliq & D'Essentials and Trisum (Tohpati, Dewa Budjana, and Balawan). Various other groups fuse contemporary westernized jazz fusion music with the traditional ethnic music traditions of their hometown. In the case of Krakatau and SambaSunda, the bands from West Java, the traditional Sundanese kacapi suling and gamelan orchestra is performed alongside drum set, keyboard and guitars. Other bands such as Bossanova Java were fused Javanese music with bossanova, while Kulkul fuse jazz with Balinese gamelan. The Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival is performed annually, featuring famous International as well as Indonesian jazz musicians. It has become one of the most important Jazz event in the region.