Being replaceable.

^ Sums it up.  What people call generic is just music that can be replaced by another track and evoke the same affective response. 

Music with the same structure/sound that has now been popularized can be generic.

Reality though, TBH: there is no such thing as generic music.  All music is different and unique - but I believe its the short sightedness and elitism that gives people the libidinal desire to couch music as "generic"

I think if you want to avoid "generic" sounds - you're setting yourself up for failure.  You have a ton of music influence that is inevitably impossible to shut out, so you are going to recreate structure and sound that you have heard before.  Give yourself freedom to not be afraid of being generic.

Is a 7/4 time signature generic in "EDM" - no. But it is generic, or rather common, in jazz.  Recognizing what shapes the electronic scene, etc. gives you freedom to explore what is outside of our common preconceptions of electronic, etc. music.

EDIT: for sure though - people recreate the same shit because they watch all the same tutorials and download very similar stems / construction kits which have a formula to them.  But over time, the formula changes and we get new shit. aka, new music.