unlike Pop music which has been in decline for a good decade

Stick to your own, eh? Either that or listen to 1Xtra on a Saturday night from Trevor Nelson onwards and then tell me that's music in decline! I think not, and I also think it telling that there's invariably some olf Folky on Mudcat muttering on about rap music being vastly inferior to the sort of MOR easy-listening pop-shlock being served up on Folk on 2.

*

I see now musicians of all ages doing great music regardless; I also see a lot of respect across the board, with fans of hip-hop also buying Bellowhead albums. Hopefully Folk of the future will be an aspect of an increasingly diverse Popular Music as it once was when Traffic, Jethro Tull (up to & including Thick as a Brick) & Led Zeppelin etc. were openly celebrating their Folk Inspirations, just as Peter Bellamy was openly celebrating his Popular Music heritage too. I see The Unthanks have covered my favourite King Crimson song on their latest album. For those unfamiliar with the majesty of the original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dWT2dKw4fk

Time was when a Folk act covered a non-folk song it started appearing in The Tradition - like the way Music for a Found Harmonium became a traditional tune not long after Patrick Street covered it. Might we look forward to hearing young floor singers singing Starless?