Sorry Ron, but I'm not a buyer. Look, I'm not dismissing "the topics of modern singer-songwriters who are doing EXACTLY the same work that the shapers of these songs did in past generations"" ; nor I I saying that they're not worthwhile. But, dammit, there is a difference between traditional music (pick your tradition" and other types of music. It's a difference that comes from continuing a tradition. Pop doesn't do that.

If you want take a position that "it's all trad", I can't stop you. But I can't agree with you either.