Who or what killed Fusion in the 80’s?

Who or what killed Fusion in the 80’s? Jun 24, 2022 14:17:29 GMT -6

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Post by conebeckham on Jun 24, 2022 14:17:29 GMT -6

Jun 24, 2022 8:09:50 GMT -6 millions said:

It has to do with the core audience. The core audience for jazz fusion came from the rock audience and consumers of rock albums. They were the "upper layer" of intelligent rock listeners who liked Zappa, Yes. Gentle Giant, The Grateful Dead's long improvising, The Allman Brothers, and "intelligent" rock in general. As they got older, they quit buying records.

I think there is some truth in that.

I don't think it's dead, and I also imagine that it may have been slightly more popular during the mid to late 70's heyday, but I blame drugs.

Seriously. Weed and psychedelics vs. Alcohol or other "party" substances.

Fusion is not party music, you mostly can't dance to it, and the prevailing culture in the late 70's turned away from a more introspective and cerebral audience, in favor of a more hedonistic, dare I say simplistic art form. These are generalizations, and I think there was quality music being made even in the depths of the Punk and New Wave, Retro Pop 80's.

Also think you're correct that many people's musical tastes are formed as teens, and many people just don't value music as much as most of us here do. People get older, music becomes less important to them--or, at least, exposing themselves to new music. Again, I am making a gross generalization, but.......