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2026 Music Trends Snapshot: Local Artists Lead, Fans Go Digital

Interest in Indonesian music events remains strong, with numerous local and international artists scheduled throughout 2026. Beyond Western acts, foreign performers from South Korea or other Asian countries frequently visit to engage with their audience. This demonstrates how much musicians rely on their fanbase, who show loyalty through various forms of support.

Jakpat has updated its annual report on concertgoers’ habits and musician fans’ behaviors, covering financial aspects, the popularity of 2026 concerts, upcoming events, and how fans show support for their favorite artists. The report involved 1865 respondents, and the data were collected from June 29th to July 1st, 2026.

Indonesian musicians emerged as the top choice among Jakpat respondents, preferred by 77% in total. Meanwhile, preferences for international musicians varied by gender, with 27% of male respondents favoring Western musicians and 34% of female respondents leaning toward South Korean music (K-pop).

“The growing variety of global music choices hasn’t weakened the position of Indonesian musicians in listeners’ hearts. On the contrary, people now enjoy music from different countries while maintaining a strong connection to local artists,” said Farida Hasna, Lead Researcher at Jakpat.

Behavior and Preferences of Music Fans’ Collections

Jakpat’s survey revealed that fans prioritize free digital support over financial expenditure. Specifically, streaming music (50%) and following social media accounts (46%) far surpassed purchasing merchandise (15%) and physical albums (12%). This indicates that supporting musicians relies heavily on accessible digital engagement rather than high-cost physical purchases.

Additionally, respondents showed equal interest in watching their favorite artists’ concerts, with 22% opting for online shows and another 22% attending live performances. Furthermore, 14% of respondents reported officially joining a fanbase.

Regarding merchandise, 7 out of 10 fans collect T-shirts of their favorite musicians, particularly Millennials. Other popular items collected include jackets (44%), stickers (40%), and keychains (38%). Among Gen Z respondents, 44% collect photocards of their favorite artists.

Boosting Engagement Through Fanbases

When it comes to fanbases, 77% of respondents reported joining local fan communities. A notable segment also joined South Korean musician fanbases (40%), primarily driven by Gen Z. Meanwhile, 3 out of 10 Millennials joined fanbases for United States musicians.

Hasna commented, “For many fans, simply enjoying the music or following an artist’s activities isn’t the end of the line. Joining a fanbase is the next step to connect with a community that shares the same enthusiasm. This is where fan engagement with musicians becomes even stronger.”

The three largest national musician fanbases were Sheila Gank (Sheila on 7) at 47%, followed by Baladewa (Dewa 19) at 35%, and Slankers (Slank) at 32%. For K-Pop, ARMY (BTS) led at 58%, followed by EXO-L (EXO) at 39%, and BLINK (Blackpink) at 36%.

Three-fifths of respondents attended between 1 to 3 fan meetings during the first half of 2026. Female respondents (38%) and Gen Z (34%) mostly attended just once, whereas male respondents (39%) and Millennials (34%) attended 2 to 3 times.

The most attended fan meeting among respondents was the 2026 Hearts2Hearts FANMEETING in JAKARTA (40%) on March 28^th, 2026. Meanwhile, 35% of respondents plan to attend the 2026 PARK JI HOON ASIA FANCON [RE:FLECT] in Jakarta on August 19^th, 2026.