"However, they also need to be told that unless their music is rooted in a strong tradition with depth, unless they learn and respect that tradition, it will more than likely end up as mere aimless fidgeting."

To my mind, saying that implies an idea of authenticity that is belied by really good pop music. There are plenty of people that enjoy listening to both Pierre Boulez and AC/DC, both John Coltrane and the Beach Boys, both Leonard Cohen and Stockhausen, both Beethoven and Nick Drake, both Giacinto Scelsi and Frank Sinatra, both Bob Dylan and Beethoven.

This year I've mostly listened to music by Micachu, C Joynes & Stephanie Hladowski, Gerald Barry, Harrison Birtwistle, Roy Harris and Aldo Clementi. In other words, high-concept 20th century classical music, joyous arty dance-pop and stripped-down English folk. Some of that comes from a tradition, some of that comes from an "anti-tradition", some of it is much more intuitive and eclectic.

Fact is, classical music is just as "commodified" as pop, only in a different way (it owes a lot more to public-sector funding and big-business sponsorship). Fact is, self-consciously commercial music can still produce great art (eg Beatles, Motown, hip-hop). Worth remembering that Mozart had patrons; he needed his operas to be hits just as much as Stock, Aitken & Waterman needed their 80s dance singles to be.