According to the information provided, jazz had virtually disappeared from popular music by the mid-fifties.
The Decline of Jazz in Popular Music
Based on the reference, a significant shift occurred in the music landscape by the time rock & roll began to gain widespread popularity. The reference states:
By the time rock & roll caught on in the mid-fifties, the jazz style had virtually disappeared from popular music.
This indicates that while jazz music itself did not cease to exist entirely, its presence and influence within the mainstream, commercially popular music scene saw a substantial decline around this time.
The Rise of Rock & Roll
The emergence and rapid ascent of rock & roll in the 1950s played a major role in reshaping popular tastes. As rock & roll gained traction, it became the dominant popular music genre, consequently leading to jazz receding from its former prominence in that sphere.
It's important to note that this information specifically addresses jazz's status within popular music. Jazz continued to evolve and be performed in various other contexts, such as clubs, academic settings, and dedicated jazz scenes, but its era as a primary form of popular music had largely passed by the mid-fifties, according to the reference.
