Why did Jazz become unpopular?

mr_fegelien

Jazz was the most popular genre in the former half of the 20th century. Today however, it has dropped in terms of market share of music. I think rap is even more popular than jazz despite the hate it gets.

So what happened? I heard a theory that the decline of jazz was caused by: 1.) the invention of the electric guitar, 2.) the invention of portable music through the Walkman.

Jazz was something people sat down at home and listened to. With music becoming portable, people didn't want to 'relax' and sought out more 'pumped-up' music.

People have become less sophisticated..

noby

I think rap is even more popular than jazz despite the hate it gets.

Not sure what that means. A LOT of people don't hate rap.

1.) the invention of the electric guitar,

Possibly. Or, more like the rise in R&B, pop, and rock.

2.) the invention of portable music through the Walkman.

That was in the 80s, and not sure it had a huge effect on jazz exclusively.

Jazz was something people sat down at home and listened to.

Jazz was, and is, primarily a live genre. While people sat at home and listened to it, they also filled the jazz clubs. Maybe, as that generation got older, listening at home became their primary outlet.

Short answer, I reckon, is that pop and rock became the music of the youth, and that hasn't changed.
Saying that, there's a vibrant jazz scene in, amongst other places, London at the moment.

iamstop

Jazz just went back underground. It'll never die. In fact it still lives on strong in Hip Hop, Trip Hop, Acid Jazz and a slew of other sub genres.

Also to note is that the term Jazz covers a huge spectrum of music. From the early big band stuff to jazz trios, jazz fusion, afro jazz, smooth jazz, free jazz and many other off-shoots.

There is a Jazz fest in most major cities in the west, even if some use the term loosely.

I think part of what caused Jazz' decline in the mid to late 70's is that is got very technical and less appealing to the causal listener. To put simple, it go too far up it's on hole! Every other Jazz cat was trying to invent something new and exciting at an unsustainable pace. The masses grew tired and found more accessible fare with rock and pop.

Dravokivich

Jazz can be a bit odd at times. I've always felt Jazz was meant to be fairly fluid, but the more I look into it, the more structured it tends to be and that's probably a result of people trying to put a stamp on it as mentioned earlier. Sometimes when I read stuff about Jazz or watch video's about it on Youtube, there can also be a sense of higher intellect with it too. Which I feel takes the excitement away from it.