How did 70s rock music transition into 80s music?

You say a lot of things that make sense, but to me the rock music of the early and mid Seventies simply didn't have the drive and energy that is so crucial to the genre. The music became obsessively self-absorbed. It was more interested in virtuosity, grandiosity...or to put it less kindly, noodling, than in getting us to shake various parts of our body...including our fists. It was an absolute revelation for me to hear the bands that came out of New York in that period, such as The Ramones, The Talking Heads and Television. I was in seventh heaven the first time I heard the Sex Pistols.  I danced like a crazed loon around my tiny single apartment. I started haunting the Whiskey on the Sunset Strip to hear the bands that came out. After years of being strictly an acoustic guy, I bought a twangy Tele. Not a bloop-dee-doodle-do, ain't I cool Les Paul.

@edcyn: Have you followed the bread crumbs back from the Rock of the 70’s (I agree with you about a lot of the "Rock" music of that decade, excluding the likes of NRBQ, Dave Edmunds, The Flamin’ Groovies, The Dwight Twilley Band, a few others) to its origins in the Rock ’n’ Roll of the 50’s? There you will find lots of twangy Tele’s, including that of James Burton (Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley).

In the early-70’s Burton was the guitarist in one of the best bands of the decade, Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band. When James left her employ he was replaced by fellow-Telecaster player Albert Lee, who had been in one of the U.K.’s best bands, Heads Hands & Feet. Edmunds had Albert guest on his fantastic recording of "Sweet Little Lisa", found on his Repeat When Necessary album. If you haven’t yet, give a listen to Albert’s playing on his signature song, "Country Boy". Hearing his playing will result in you either practicing and gigging more, or hanging it up ;-) .

Have you heard Danny Gatton? If not, he is a master of just about all genres, including 1950’s Rock ’n’ Roll and Rockabilly, Blues, Jazz, Hillbilly, Bluegrass, and any other you can name. Vince Gill nicknamed him "The Humbler" ;-) . Guitar pickup maker Joe Barden designed his replacement pickup for the stock one Fender put in the Tele specifically for Danny. His playing is the somewhat rarely-heard combination of virtuosity and musicality, especially rare in Rock (less so in Jazz and Country/Hillbilly), where excess, lack of taste and an understanding of subtlety, and over-playing are commonplace.

Of course, for bad playing of the Tele you always have Keith Richards ;-) .

+1 @bdp24 : Danny Gatton was truly a great guitarist - whose life ended so tragically! I recently bought one of his CDs! 

IMO the best band of the Eighties was the Smiths. Morrissey + Johnny Marr on guitar/arranging. Check out their four recordings before the breakup!

One 80’s group I for some reason like is The Cure. They were the antithesis of my normal taste in music, and I really don’t understand why I find them so alluring.