Look at the careers of any band active throughout those years, and you'll see their progress towards prog.

 

I wonder if there'll ever again be such a huge change in music within a five year period (compare, for example, the five years from 2008 to 2013)

 

This is the "flowerpower" period of Generation X - the growth of bands during this period of the early 80s was phenomenal, even by comparison to the 64-69 period. From Pub-rocks roots through Punk to all that the umbrella term "post-punk" encompasses. This is the beginning of Indie in the literal sense of the word (beyond whatever Island or Charisma could have dreamt) and saw the fragmentation of subcultures across the whole generation of music buyers that would result in no single subculture or style of rock music ever being able to dominate the music scene ever again.

 

1st January - Top Of The Pops began.

9th, 16th, & 23rd February - The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show

 

 

 

Those were the early years, and '67 was the big firing of the "canon", as it were. Bands really started to change from '69 onward though, with '72 / '73 being the ultimate peak in creativity and expansiveness.

You did say any band.

 

OK, what about Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch? Hermans Hermits? Freddie and the Dreamers?

 

Bass Lines, were a part of classical music for many years, but in most cases, they were never thought to be used as rock/jazz became to use it, as a subservient instrument that was there to support the others, not to add anything to the music itself.  In many ways, for me, this is where "progressive" made a substantial improvement to the music itself, though it's hard to not say that a lot of other rock/jazz music didn't either ... however, too much of their context was just another song ... and those are STILL not considered "music" per se, or artistic enough to be considered important to the history and development of music.

 

But the bass being imprisioned is criminal in my book.

 

Similarly, listening to Mani Neumeier in his earlier days of explorations, he was less of a rhythm section, and more of a player that was having fun around what the guitar did, not the bass! And this is overlooked ... that the music design had its 4, but it was not controlled by anyone in particular ... all of them shared that responsibility and someone had to bring things together somewhere along the way! But it made for some spectacular things ...

 

Jack Bruce and some of the other bass players, were simply more educated musicians ... playing instruments and works far inferior to their ability, if that is ok to say!

 

I, nowadays, place less importance in the music in these years, than I do in the incredible jump in the houses/homes having TV's which blew up in those years ... in America alone the numbers were absolutely insane and by 1968, it was like 80% of everyone had a tv, compared to under 40% before 1964 ... and the inevitable result is a complete change in how you see things, the world and the arts! I imagine that Europe was similar ... and remember that one of the biggest weapons against the Iron Curtain was "The Beatles" and "The Rolling Stones" and many other bands, because this stuff was not legal behind it, and was considered subversive .... and it helped get the "populace", specially the youngsters, more aware that there was more out there that the Iron Curtain did not want you to see!  When TV became bigger during that time, things changing accelerated like mad!

I agree. '80s were good years, pretty hedonistic, this and that, but rock music in 80s was terriible .

Except just few bands and artists, and of course  ECM production what was the best thing in '80s, that decade was so bad for the music.