Popular culture, books, tv and movies always state that Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago in 1979 ended the disco era. What were the "real reasons" for the decline in disco (if there is any tangible evidence)? How strong is the correlation between the event and the end of the genre? Is there any statistical evidence to back up the claim? I've constantly wondered about this. Thanks!
There's really no correlation to be had. Disco's popularity was already waning. Really beyond waning because it wasn't really popular anymore.
In this situation, a minor league baseball promotions guy saw an opportunity to sell tickets and took it, and it became a fun example later. (The same manager sponsored a vasectomy related event in the 90s)
Actually, only around 500 records were destroyed according to an interview given in Sports Illustrated. With a ballpark filled with a few thousand people, that's pretty insignificant.
Edit: Some books state it as a formal end to the era because that's easier than saying it faded out. I don't really consider it to have ever been a defined era, more of a trend that will be largely forgotten in another 50 years.
Disco was already on the way out and had always been unpopular with some people and it just got turned into a great marketing move. Sorry there isn't a more interesting story to be had here.