Not all pop music is throwaway shite, Jim. You can't, surely, dismiss a 60 year body of work that includes so many incredible singles and albums quite that glibly.

In some ways, for someone like me in 2014, there is very little difference in listening to a wonderful 45 year old song like "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" from the Zombies' Odessey and Oracle album to listening to a 1927 recording of Dock Boggs. Different styles, but a similar impact on me as the listener... which is always and has to be subjective. I personally wouldn't have a problem hearing either in a folk club.