The brand name iPod is used in the same way that Kleenex, Xerox, Q-Tip and Jeep are.
And as lucifer_sam already mentioned, they are not limited to playing ACC files. I use iTunes (for organizing and playing, not for purchasing) and an iPod, with a PC. And I never touch AAC files.
Regarding the list, I only have a handful of those and they're certainly not things that would stay on the iPod in heavy rotation. They'll get thrown on occasionally but that's it. Seems to be a list of "classic well-known staples" which is fine, just not for me as my tastes constantly evolve and I'm constantly on the hunt for new stuff. Plus my iPod is only 8GB with files at minimum 192kbps so things are always getting rotated on and off.
As far as I'm concerned nothing
stays on my iPod permanently, a few months maybe as I get familiar with something. If I had a 100GB+ brick I suppose some things would stay on. I kind of like having a smaller one though as it stays lean to focus on the stuff I'm currently exploring.