there is much music snobbery in the US also, but it is not nearly so pervasive, since it is not promoted widely by state radio/tv....the USA is so big, that there is a lot of room to have 'classical' stations, as well as pop stations....not as many, but big cities always have one. I like much 'proper' music....Handel and Holst and Brahms and Beethoven...but I don't collect it like I do traditional folk.

On the other hand, it seems that if you know where to go, the pub with live folkish music is still alive in the UK, whereas in the USA, it is a hard thing to find in many areas.