"Or they're preferring the necessary sound compression that makes the loud parts less loud and the soft parts less soft."

Brick-Wall / Pancake-ing didn't really take hold as a trend until maybe like, the early 90s?

(Would have to Google it)

But everything before then had that "Dynamic Range" but it also meant that Peak Volumes across different albums were varied.

Like, if you were to listen to NIN - The Fragile, then go all the way back to Pretty Hate Machine, PHM is going to sound RIDICULOUSLY QUIET.

Same issue if you were to listen to Beastie Boys -- Hello Nasty, then go all the way back to License to Ill. It's not gunna sound as loud as Hello Nasty, because when License to Ill was recorded and engineered, Brick Wall was not trendy yet.