The have reached Indonesia since the era of as early as 18th century, enjoyed only by a handful of wealthy Dutch plantation owners and officers in elite social clubs and ballrooms such as Societeit Harmonie in and Societeit Concordia in. The kroncong divas, and, was instrumental in reviving the style in the 1980s. These patriotic songs can be sung in hymn or even in orchestra, but most often was sung in kroncong style known as kroncong perjuangan (struggle kroncong). The patriotic theme and romantic wartime romance was obvious in the works of, such as, Keroncong Serenata.
After the World War II and during Indonesian National Revolution (1945-1949) and afterwards, kroncong was associated with patriotism, since many of Indonesian poets and patriotic songs authors uses kroncong and somewhat jazz fusion as the genre of their works.
Gesang himself remains the most renowned exponent of the style, which although it is seen now as a somewhat starchy and 'dated' form is still popular among large segments of the population, particularly the older generation. Over the years it has been re-released many times by notable artists, mainly within Asia but also beyond (like ), and in some places it is seen as typifying Indonesian music.
