The reasons many top musicians don’t want to perform in Indonesia

The concert industry in Indonesia is growing every day. Now, many promoters want to bring top musicians to perform in Indonesia. Since the 90s, there have been many top musicians who have performed in Indonesia, for example Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Blackpink, BTS, Maroon 5, One Direction, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Arctic Monkeys, Westlife, The Script, Green Day, Metallica, Imagine Dragons, Simple Plan, Neck Deep, Bring Me the Horizon, Paramore, The Chainsmokers, Alan Walker, Martin Garrix, Rich Brian, Joji, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes. With so many musicians who have been brought to Indonesia, it is a very good achievement in this industry.

Top musicians who have canceled concerts in Indonesia and their reasons

Of all the lists above, this is only a small part of the many top musicians in the world and many of them still don’t want to perform in Indonesia, or even don’t want to perform in Indonesia for several reasons.

Between 1990 and 2025, Indonesia experienced a number of high-profile international concert cancellations, postponements, and failed events involving major global artists. One of the earliest notable cases was Guns N’ Roses in Jakarta in 1993, where the concert was overshadowed by security concerns and controversy. During the 1990s and early 2000s, several international acts such as Michael Learns to Rock, Backstreet Boys, and Westlife faced postponements due to scheduling conflicts, tour adjustments, or logistical challenges.

The most famous cancellation in Indonesia’s concert history occurred in 2012 when Lady Gaga canceled her highly anticipated Born This Way Ball concert in Jakarta. Promoted by Big Daddy Entertainment, the event had already sold tens of thousands of tickets but was ultimately canceled due to security concerns, political pressure, and opposition from several conservative groups. In the same year, Avenged Sevenfold canceled its Jakarta concert on the day of the event. Promoted by ShowMaxx Entertainment and Entertainment Ranger, the cancellation sparked controversy as both the band and organizers cited concerns regarding stage safety and event preparations.

In 2013, Aerosmith canceled its Jakarta performance, which was promoted by Ismaya Live, due to regional security concerns following reports of terrorist threats in the Indonesian capital. During the following years, several artists encountered scheduling or health-related issues. Ed Sheeran postponed his Jakarta concert after suffering injuries from an accident, while Paramore postponed its 2018 concert in Tangerang after vocalist Hayley Williams developed a throat infection and was advised by doctors not to perform.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest wave of concert disruptions in Indonesian history. In 2020 and 2021, numerous international concerts were postponed or canceled, including shows by Green Day, Lauv, Khalid, Westlife, Louis Tomlinson, and many K-pop acts. Travel restrictions, public gathering bans, and global health concerns made it impossible for promoters to proceed with scheduled events.

One of the most controversial recent cases occurred in 2023 when Bring Me The Horizon performed in Jakarta under the promotion of Ravel Entertainment. The first day of the concert was halted due to technical and safety issues, while the second day was completely canceled. The incident led to widespread criticism, public disputes regarding refunds, and investigations by authorities.

In 2024, British singer Jessie J canceled her appearance at the David Foster & Friends concert in Jakarta only hours before the show, citing personal reasons. Later that year, Dua Lipa canceled her Radical Optimism Tour concert in Jakarta, promoted by PK Entertainment and TEM Presents. The cancellation was announced less than 24 hours before the scheduled performance because the stage and venue setup failed to meet the artist’s safety requirements. The decision attracted international attention, particularly because many fans had already traveled to Jakarta from across Indonesia and neighboring countries.

Overall, the most common reasons for international concert cancellations in Indonesia between 1990 and 2025 have included security concerns, permit and regulatory issues, inadequate technical or stage standards, artist health problems, logistical difficulties, and the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among all cases, Lady Gaga’s 2012 cancellation, Avenged Sevenfold’s same-day cancellation in 2012, Bring Me The Horizon’s halted performance in 2023, and Dua Lipa’s last-minute cancellation in 2024 remain the most widely discussed incidents in Indonesia’s modern concert history.

In fact, financial constraints are also a reason why top musicians rarely visit Indonesia, as transportation costs and individual riders are prohibitively expensive. For example, Thirty Seconds to Mars vocalist Jared Leto requested a private jet for transportation, and Rammstein required a very large and expensive stage for their concerts.

If we want to see many international musicians perform in Indonesia, we need to improve event organization to prevent any untoward incidents.