I am very aware of how folk music became commercial.

It was largely mass market entertainment with a few exceptions where teaching of songs became a focus for some.

In addition to replacing gradma and grandpa's traditional folk with commercial amplified versions and performer star worship it also was taken over and almost obsessed with liberal politics. Yes a few exceptions however it was a political monoculture that dominated and used folk music for its ends.

In addition to traditional music much of this new commercial folk was singer songwriter so another way that family based culture based folk was dilluted.

While the fad developed it was soon over and today folk music is struggling to feed its commercial face as has been pointed out.

Additionally new generations for the most part still do not maintain a widespread effective guardianship of folk culture.

I am close to this problem having worked with both the german and irish communities of baltimore. It is all but gone.

So ok for a while folk music was a mainstream commercial fad.
As it is now over and gone it was not a viable way to proceed yet the commercial route is still popular.

Next argument please....

Conrad