Folks may have on-ramped at different time points and even have jumped on and off the line, and yes, some stayed on it all the way.
Each will also possibly have a different year/time for their own ‘high’s (mountain of expectation) and low’s (plateau)’,but almost all northern soulies would be able to place themselves on this line at some time or other. Sixty years ago or last month.
The point is...’the death knell’ has been sounded many times, but people always kick-on and find their own 'water line' by which to enjoy the music, the scene's history, their venue, collecting, at so on.
P.S. I obviously spent too much time in I.T. reading Gartner reports