Divided then, closer now

Back in those years we divided rock/pop into genres. Folk rock, British, San Francisco, LA, etc. Listening now, all of this music sounds more similar than different. I'm not denying subgenre differences and individual styles. Still, from this distance an overall style that unites them all is discernible, especially when you contrast it to today's music and what's come inbetween. The commonality about music of the period is the use of a standard palette of instruments, fewer digital techniques of production, and a looseness of song structure.