I suppose it's ultimately futile arguing about whether this or that artist was/is a genius or not but I do believe that some artists' achievement are overlooked or ignored because of prejudice whilst others are elevated above their station because of the 'Emperor's New Clothes' effect - some influential voice states that so-and-so is a genius and everyone else parrots that line for evermore.
I still think that MacColl was a genius because he developed such a deep understanding of the traditional musical idioms of the English speaking world that he was not only able to sing trad. songs with great authority but also able to write new songs in the traditional idiom. I'm in awe of him because his artistic vision spanned centuries and honoured the memory of countless country singers, ballad writers, playwrights, shanty men etc., etc. - and was not just about what happens to be 'cool' in this particular millisecond.