Yes, drugs were often involved. But kids today still take a lot of drugs. But they don't listen. Today's music ( a lot of the really "successful" stuff) is basically a throbbing beat that people have on in the background while they do whatever. The singing is practically acappella: the music doesn't matter; it's a metronome. Some woman with a big voice chants some mindless lyrics and they say it's music.
Much of it is totally forgettable.
There hasn’t been any R&R since the early 70s. It’s all been just crappy noise, since.