I suppose there's something to be said for the idea that a person can only appreciate/sing songs which are relevant to his/her own time and place, and I must say I keep finding relevance in traditional songs - many have been honed over the years to embody timeless human conditions, in whatever guise. Also, I like songs whose words aren't either drowned out by the music or are mercilessly moronic - something I find lacking in a lot of 'modern' rock or pop music. But that's a matter of personal taste, of course.