I have a friend that went to Loyola School of Music. He plays violin (fiddle). He's an awesome player, but what he plays won't sell. I'll take Rob Hajacos or Johnny Gimble over him any day. But he is still my friend.
I used to think that what sells is automatically bad. But there is a certain interesting concept in, say, Steely Dan's music...Billy Joel wrote some interesting songs, Dire Straits, Talking Heads, and all those killer bands of the 50's and 60's.
I sometimes laugh at some of these musicians who are "artists" with the attitude and so forth...too bad they eat bologna and mustard packets. It's harder to get hot chicks to shake their butts. :o)