A lot of what passes for traditional music, hereabouts, at least, is really just "Folk Club Pop"--music that was created to suit the tastes of specific, contemporary audience. Perhaps "collected" songs are performed, and even in a style that is derived from a tradition--but they are no longer a part of that tradition--they really have become something new.

Wherever it comes from, however it gets to be what it is, performed music always speaks to an audience of the present--and it lasts only as long as people like hearing it--