Youth quake hit Indonesian music industry in 1999
By Endi Aras
JAKARTA (JP): New faces enlivened this year's gloomy local music industry hard hit by the ongoing economic crisis.
The economic crisis has meant escalating production costs in the recording and promoting of new albums. Moreover, people's purchasing power has declined to a very low level, making it very difficult for them to buy cassettes and compact discs (CDs) of their favorite artistes.
Since 1997, music producers -- both small and large ones like Warner, BMI, Blackboard, Sony Music -- have refrained from producing and releasing new albums. Everybody is waiting for the right time. In 1999, however, there was new hope in the industry. Despite the risks, new albums were released.
Teenagers and young children dominated the music scene, selling albums which helped to lift the cloud that has covered the local music and recording industry since 1997.
Joshua, the 'wonder kid', released an album Kue Donat(Donut), which proved a success for this seven-year-old singer and entertainer.
Joshua revived the local cassette industry with a best-selling album that sold thousands of copies -- a rarity in these crisis years.
Joshua, a gold mine for his parents and producer, continued to rake in the money from TV commercials and merchandise contracts. On his seventh birthday, he released a biography entitled Namaku Joshua (My Name is Joshua).
Children's stars like Trio Kwek Kwek's Dhea Ananda and Alifandi are now teenagers, helping to smoothen Joshua's path to success. Children need other idols.
Joshua's success story has attracted dozens of other kids and their ambitious parents to try their luck in the music industry.
The presence of young children in the entertainment industry aroused concerned among parents, educators and psychologists. Stories abounded of ambitious parents forcing their kids into this tiring and competitive world for fame and money.
The slightly polluted children's music industry was cleared up by the appearance of Sherina, a nine-year old elementary school student with a distinctive voice and natural style.
Her debut album Andai Aku Besar Nanti,(If I grow up), sold 225,000 cassettes while CD sales reached 7,000.
The globalization era was also noticeable in the music business. Foreign music genres like ska, rap and alternative music remained popular among teenage audience.
1999 was made remarkable by the appearance of ska groups from all parts of the country, even from small cities like Purwokerto in Central Java.
A ska revival, a musical genre from Jamaica, swept the world and didn't miss out Indonesia. Ska was actually first heard in Indonesia a few years ago in the recordings of American group No Doubt with their album Tragic Kingdom and Save Ferris with the single Come On Eileen. Both fall under the genre "alternative- ska".
Ska groups like Jun Fan Gung Foo (Sony Music Entertainment) Tipe X and Noin Bullet (Warner Music Indonesia) reintroduced Ska music to the ears of Indonesians. Music observers view it as a temporary trend which will quickly vanish from the local music scene.
1999 will also be remembered for Sheila On 7, a teenage group from Yogyakarta. The group's debut album sold 600,000 copies, a fantastic amount in this crisis era.
The group, consisting of Eross and Sakti (guitarists); Anton (drummer); Duta (lead vocalist); and Adam (bassists) released their first single Kita (Us), recorded by Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia. They will soon release Anugrah Terindah Yang Pernah Kumiliki,(The most beautiful gift I've ever had).
Sony shot the group to stardom. The company is renowned for the skill of its talent scouts. It has recorded best-selling albums by GIGI, Wong, Rif and many other groups.
Alternative music breathed fresh life into Indonesian pop music and also widened the musical horizons of Indonesian audiences.
In rhythm and blues (R&B) and jazz music, several names surfaced. Sania (formerly a pop artiste under the name Tuti Greta), Shakila and Melly Manuhutu have made R&B music prosper. Newcomer Syahrani aims to take the place of veteran jazz singers like Margie Segger, Ermi Kulit and Nunung Wardiman. Syahrani launched her debut album Tersiksa Lagi,(Tortured again), a remake of Chris Kayhatu and Utha Likumahuwa's single from the early 1980s.
Chrisye and Dian Permana Putra also took part in the hustle- bustle of the music industry with "recycled" works. Chrisye modified his l979 successful album Badai Pasti Berlalu (The storm will pass), originally the soundtrack of Eros Djarot's hit film Badai Pasti Berlalu starring Christine Hakim and Roy Marten. Dian launched Terbaik (The best), a compilation of her hits from 1980 to 1990.
Old musicians never die, they just get old. Pop group Koes Plus and legendary singer-songwriter Gesang launched new albums. Koes Plus released two albums Siapakah (Who) and Burung Dara (Pigeon). Gesang, the writer of the legendary song Bengawan Solo, introduced Sandang Pangan (Food and clothing).
To welcome the religious celebrations of Ramadhan fasting month, Christmas, New Year and Idul Fitri, a number of artists released religious songs.
Emha Ainun Najib released two albums entitled Perahu Nuh, (Noah's Ark) and Allah Merasa Heran, (God is astonished). Hadad Alwi presented Surat Rasul, (the Prophet's letter), which hit the market during the Ramadhan fasting month. However, when the religious events are over, sales of religious songs usually drop significantly.
Television actors and actresses, models and comedians tried to show off their singing talents in the seemingly glittering music industry, like the sexy artist Febby Fabiola, Nafa Urbah, Boyband and Element.
Sahrul Gunawan, star of Jin dan Jun,(Jin and Jun) released Janji,(Promise). Anjasasmara, Goenawan, Tia Ivanka, Didi Rahman and Angie formed a vocal group Amartya.
Equipped with beautiful faces, slim and trendy but with mediocre singing skills, many artists entered the music industry.
The industry, however, is unpredictable. Many talented singers with good albums failed to make a mark. Other artists with only average music and singing backgrounds gained their fame, success and money.
Some producers compromised with market tastes and forced singers to release market-friendly songs. Yet they were unable to persuade record buyers to buy them.
Senjaya Wijaya from Warner Music Indonesia explained the keys for a successful album: Good timing; well thought-out marketing, promotional and distribution strategies; and of course gifted artists and good materials.
"If a producer or an artist cannot meet these requirements, it will be very hard for them to launch a successful album and career in the music industry," Senjaya said.
Such strict requirements did not prevent newcomers and producers from releasing hundreds of albums in 1999.
Is it a positive sign of recovery in the local music industry?
Everybody in here is waiting for the new year to come.