Songs From The Sea: Maritime Influence On Indonesian Popular Songs In the 1980s

Abstract

This study examines the influence of maritime affairs on the development of Indonesian popular music in the 1980s. During the 1980s period, maritime events and issues became one of the discourses that developed in society. This is inseparable from the burning incident of the Tampomas II ship which resulted in hundreds of deaths. Not only the Tampomas II tragedy, the 1980s was marked by the issue of damage to marine ecosystems in Indonesia. This research reveals that Indonesian music is heavily influenced by maritime elements. Almost all traditional Indonesian music in each region touches on maritime elements. The same applies to Indonesian pop music in the 1980s, which contains many lyrics about the sea. Music also records the history that occurred in the Indonesian oceans, such as the tragedy of Tampomas II. This research uses historical analysis using the text from song lyrics and newspapers articles as historical sources.