"Interestingly, rock guitarists and the like tend to belittle this style of playing, possibly because it relies on much use of the beginners’ cowboy chords, but ask them to actually play a recognisable tune, as opposed to a riff, and they often don’t know where to start."

GUEST,Jerry - why does it yet again have to be a black & white opposition of 'us v them'...???

Me and my mate started off more than 45 years ago teaching ourselves guitar
by learning "Hank Marvin & the Shadows" tunes off old LPs...

That's how we worked out for ourselves that he was better at lead, and I was the better rythm guitarist..

..and how we fell into those well established roles in our school 'proto punk bands',
and later work together playing electro synth new wave, rock n roll, and punky folkie skiffle...


Also, there's no need to be absolutist about enjoying music...
Cowboy chords can have immense dramatic power in rock...

Look at successful pro session guitar players,
even the average ones can cope well with most styles of playing...

Why do folks need to make a conflict out of everything...???