Easy to forget that even at the start of the 80's, it was only 13 years after Sargeant Pepper, and at the end of the most turbulent period in the history of Rock. You could call it the classic period for the genre, when artists were at their most experimental, creative, but also indulgent. Some of the music became so artistic that genuine questions were asked about how such artists could appeal to the typical demographic.

There was a reset in the late 70s, with Punk and then New Wave, where songs were rendered rather more economic, but it was still remarkably edgy and rebellious, retaining a lot of that irreverent spirit of the late 60's (even if the artists were reacting against that period).

The 80's therefore heralded a somewhat sober period musically (even if artists were high on coke, it didn't manifest itself in their music, unless we're talking about those endless electronic drum beats). Commercial pressures were brought to bear of course, but technology also played a huge part, in allowing quite moderately talented musicians to sound quite professional (talking about you lot, New Romantics).

Suddenly, what was novel and inventive in 73, could be ripped off quite easily in 81. Roxy Music should have made a fortune suing all those working class UK bands for plagiarism.

The artists of one decade tend to reject the values of the previous one (with a few exceptions who were heralded as prophets, like Bowie), so a lot of what was considered admirable in the 70s (see above) was considered taboo in the 80s. Out went long songs and solos. And don't even try to fuse with Jazz (which of course was declared 'dead').

So, we have the confluence of three prevailing forces. Increased commercialism (record sales were higher), better technology that could make amateurs sound half decent and a value set that firmly rejected a lot of that was innovative.

Where I will give the 80s some credit though. I think it was the first era where we trully started to hear international musical themes permeate the mainstream. e.g. Talking Heads. And by the end of the decade, nostalgia was back with a folk revival and even a touch of the psychedelic. It would be the 90's (and the Post Rock rise) before Prog was given any credit though.

Now - this is obviously a contentious topic, so I'd like to just state that this is a just a rambling comment from myself that has been churned out without much thought. I came of age in the 80s, so I should adore this decade, but I don't. When I started listening to music, I was very much drawn to the 70s. Therefore, perhaps some of the frustration of my youth has manifested itself here. I have no doubt there was a lot of excellent music in the 80s (e.g. Talk Talk) for all that I have ranted against it.