As the 1960s became the 1970s, the sense of cultural unity built around rock music began to erode. Like artists and writers of the period, musicians felt that the limits had been reached, that the universal high was over. The Beatles broke up, then in succession Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison died. Millions of young Americans, disappointed by the failure of social revolution and their own Utopian ideals, turned inward to more personal goals. This new era of self-importance (and self-indulgence) was labeled the me decade by Tom Wolfe and "The Culture of Narcissism" by Christopher Lasch. The rock audience fragmented into smaller groups, each preferring its own favorite sound and style — soul versus hard rock, radio pop versus reggae, funk versus southern boogie, jazz rock versus singer-songwriters. In some cases such diversity made for exciting new music; more often, though, the new rock...