This introduction very briefly touches on changes that have occurred in popular music, the music industry, and music criticism within the past several decades, and sums up how they will be addressed in the larger manuscript. It also includes a fanciful rundown of heretofore uncharted musical genres that may or may not be imaginary: “proto-Eurodisco bongo-rock, German reggae, danceable prog, hair-extension metal, Gregorian garage, boogie-oogied country, stoner glam, industrial bubblegum” and the like.