To those who know what folksongs sound like maybe

Ahhhh, so now we have it. Folk songs are defined by "those who know what folksongs sound like". Surely, folk song should be defined by all folk, not just by those who study it. Correct me if I'm wrong but what you seem to be saying is that you are qualified to say what a folk song is but I am not. If I, or millions of others, hear a song and think "that sounds like folk music", but you disagree then we are wrong.

Don't misunderstand me. I am not saying you are wrong either. Just that you need to take on board the very valid views of other people. What you define as "contemporary songs using folk forms and functions" is certainly right. But so is what other people define as the same.

And we still don't know why you think "what people here sing seems to have no distinct identity". Still evading that issue!