Yeah, musically it wasn't my thing. Was more into Cream, Led Zep, Hendrix, Sabbath, The Who, Jethro Tull, CSNY, even Queen at the time. I was only 10 and wigging out to Black Sabbath turned to 11...Which made it real hard to ever take this kind of music as anything more than a lark. Albeit I did go to a late 70's ABBA concert in search for dates..
Unfortunately what you say is true. This was formulaic drivel that embarrassed even folk music and was the bubble gum of its time. Warbled to videos in mime. The harbinger of the death of popular music.
One of the oddest experiences in the 70's is having to see Rock acts on American Bandstand or TOTP videos. The experience of which never quite synced. So that you'd have shocked faces looking at Black Sabbath or Led Zep playing on a stupid disco type stage and people frowning...