CONTEMPORARY Artists are writing their own material,.
If they are performing someone elses material, they need permission from the composer, if they are not the composer themselves, before they alter the lyrics,.
Do you mean contemporary artists doing to traditional song, then there is a difference the bowdlerisation of a song is changing its meaning.
Martin Carthy singing LOVELY JOAN, Tony Rose singing the sheath and knife, Nic Jones singing, the Wanton Seed, the BONNY BANKS OF FORDIE, are keeping the essence the same., ther is no alteration of meaning .