I found this statement in a introduction to English folk song by Maud Karpeles (once Cecil Sharp's co-worker):

'Can a newly composed song become a folk song after a given period of time?...this is hardly possible in present circumstances, for nowadays immediately a song becomes current it is stereotyped by means of print or gramophone record, and no matter how popular it becomes or how often it is picked up by ear, it can always be referred back to the original. Thus its development is stultified.'

What do you think about Karpeles argumentation? I would be very interested in your opinions (I think the book is from the late 50s/ early 60s or thereabouts).