Wrong. It’s because their work generally stand up to the test of time. Equating popularity with master work is absurd. By that low standard the Kardashians are media masters.
They are these days. We elected Barack Obama president twice.
Their work stands the test of time . . . Because it’s popular and speaks to the people. The elitist, purist notion that slang or common culture destroys society is silly. America has been built on de-elitizing traditions and institutions. Scott absolutely was not Shakespeare, but was in the same tradition of de-elitizing stuff.