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Hybridity and Media in Dangdut Music: Origins, Evolution, and its Role in Indonesian and Intercultural Popular Culture
Rubiyanto
ASIAN-EUROPEAN MUSIC RESEARCH JOURNAL 16 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.30819/aemr.16-8 pp: 95-110 2025-12-08
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Stichworte/keywords: Dangdut Music, cultural hybridity, mass and digital media, intercultural, popular culture
Cite: APA BibTeX
Rubiyanto, (2025). Hybridity and Media in Dangdut Music: Origins, Evolution, and its Role in Indonesian and Intercultural Popular Culture. ASIAN-EUROPEAN MUSIC RESEARCH JOURNAL, 16 , 95-110. doi:10.30819/aemr.16-8
@article{Rubiyanto_2025,
doi = {10.30819/aemr.16-8},
url = {https://doi.org/10.30819/aemr.16-8},
year = 2025,
publisher = {Logos Verlag Berlin},
volume = {16},
pages = {95-110},
author = {Rubiyanto},
title = {Hybridity and Media in Dangdut Music: Origins, Evolution, and its Role in Indonesian and Intercultural Popular Culture},
journal = {ASIAN-EUROPEAN MUSIC RESEARCH JOURNAL}
}
Abstract
Dangdut music, a cultural hybrid of Indonesia, has evolved over half a century from its origins in poor communities
as a resistance to the influx of Western rock music. Combining Malay rhythm elements of Indian, Arabic, and
Western music, dangdut has now grown into a global popular culture. This study explores (1) the origins and
development of dangdut music in Indonesia and globally; (2) the role of media in the Indonesian dangdut music
industry; and (3) the characteristics of dangdut as a hybrid of local and global values. Using a qualitative approach
and ethnographic methods, the researcher conducted participatory observation within dangdut communities, com-
plemented by interviews, literature reviews, and analysis of online media. The findings reveal that dangdut’s dy-
namic evolution is impacted by social, economic, political, cultural, and religious aspects. The significant roles of
mass and digital media, the dangdut community, the recording industry, and government support have been crucial
in sustaining its existence and global reach.