Now we all may be right or wrong with our assessments but.

success proves anything of quality to a majority... and they are successful!

I guess that's why we get so much virtual reality, etc. on tv.

Personally, with any "goods", I believe marketing is the biggest factor in success - I don't believe millions are spent on advertising on tv for example just to let us know a product exists...

We have to believe we are being smart in ourselves, knowing for example out of all possible choices of the product, our choice was undoubtedly the wisest, that we are being a good parent if we didn't but this product for them, etc. etc.

Of course, if a "product" is to last on the market, it has to meet some "satisfaction standard".

And, as it happens, I do believe a "folk audience" is pretty reasonable and discerning (guess I'd have to as folk contains the music I enjoy the most...) . It's just I don't really accept your type of argument.