Virgiawan Listanto or better known as Iwan Fals (born 3 September 1961) is an Indonesian singer, songwriter and guitarist of Javanese descent.

Iwan Fals was born Virgiawan Listanto[1] in Jakarta, on 3 September 1961, to Harsoyo, a soldier,[2] and Lies Suudijah.

[3] While he was 18, Iwan Fals, Toto Gunarto, Helmi, Bambang Bule and Kakek Jagonk formed a group named Amburadul.

He sang of comic situations and themes, and his first release was on Canda Dalam Nada (the A-side featured five songs by Iwan Fals: Generasi Frustrasi, Dongeng Tidur, Imitasi, Kisah Sepeda Motorku (aka.

The songs Dongeng Tidur, Joni Kesiangan and Kisah Sepeda Motorku were released, with one new song, Ambulance Zig Zag,[4] on the Iwan Fals mini-album Canda Dalam Nada, while Generasi Frustrasi and Imitasi were also included on the Yang Muda Yang Bercanda II multi artist comedy compilation.

This album shows Iwan Fals' signature country music style, with the protest song Guru Oemar Bakrie, which talks of how a teacher is poorly paid but still responsible for educating future well-paid and successful people.

To make up for the lack of new content, a number of Iwan Fals compilations were released in the 1990s and 2000s, including Best of the Best, Akustik (3 volumes), and Salam Reformasi ("Greetings Reformation"), which sold more than 50,000 copies.

He started calling his fans who often come to his house to listen his free acoustic live performance with "Oi" which literally means "Hey".

[13] Iwan Fals has been compared with Bob Dylan, who was one of his key influences, both on his early style, which made heavy use of the harmonica, and on his lyrics, which have frequently been in the protest song genre.

"Celoteh Camar Tolol dan Cemar", on 1983's Sumbang, documented the sinking of the Tampomas II ship in Masalembu.

Aside from his observational protest songs, Iwan Fals is known for his love songs, which include "Yang Terlupakan" ("The Forgotten"), "Mata Indah Bola Pingpong" ("Beautiful Pingpong Ball Eyes"), "Antara Kau, Aku, dan Bekas Pacarmu" ("Among You, Me, and Your ex-lover"), and "Pesawat Tempurku" ("My Jet Fighter").

One of Fals' best-known songs, Galang Rambu Anarki, was written about his son's birth and released on 1982's Opini (Opinion) album.

Galang followed his father's footsteps playing in a band from a young age as a guitarist and folk musician, but he died at 15, on 25 April 1997, of either a morphine overdose or asthma.

[19] Rolling Stone Indonesia listed Swami's song Bongkar as the best Indonesian song of all time and Bento on the fifth position, Kantata Takwa's Kesaksian on 81st position, and Iwan Fals' solo Guru Oemar Bakrie, Yang Terlupakan, Surat Buat Wakil Rakyat, Pesawat Tempur, Galang Rambu Anarki, and Sarjana Muda on 5th, 42nd, 51st, 56th, 65th, and 97th, respectively, making him the second musician with the most representative on the chart after Koes Plus with the margin of one.