What does contemporary mean?

I have noticed from T. David Gordon's book a gap between "contemporary" and "traditional" songs.  Page 47 has a list of criteria that he says fits hymns better than worship songs.  But until the 1950s, did "contemporary" even exist?  I am sure Martin Luther's songs were sung during his lifetime, so shouldn't we base the quality of song on its contents, not its age?


Picture from picture-newsletter.com.  Used by permission.