why did roots music become less complicated in chord structure during the 80s?

[Upright]

The musicians of the '50 + '60 + '70 had enjoyed a better musical education, loads of them guys where playing in jazz bands, big band, etc. and if you look at the chords used in jazz ... complex stuff. Plus the fact that jamaican music got so popular added to the less complex chord structure. example ... pop music, most pop songs only use 3 chords and not a lot of sharps or flats, this makes it easier for people to sing along. Complex chords are not as inviting to the average listener.

But i also believe that this is not the only reason, there's a bigger picture! Jamaica's social, economical, cultural, religious landscape is also very imported in this evolution.

And as 6Anbatte said; Casio MT40 and other digital stuff.

Digital killed the ITAL!!!

greetings

[MightyZ]

Digital, analogue or traditional instruments can all be used in more or less complex ways, I don't hold with the fact that digital killed ITAL!
I use a mixture of digital, analogue and traditional instruments and digital stuff doesn't make me produce simpler, less ital music! It is just another medium - what you do with it is what counts, that is more down to the person than the medium that you use!
People said the same things when electric instruments appeared!
MightyZ