ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book looks at the working mechanisms of popular music genres and compares different ways in which genre has been made sense of. It shows how some artists deviate from the norm and explains what can be done to understand the causes and effects of genre transgressions. The book offers a text-based music-analytical view on genre and transgression in Radiohead’s work. It traces the band’s stylistic trajectory throughout the years and highlights continuities and disruptions. The book also looks at the impact of music journalism on academia and reflects on the fact that popular music scholars often work with journalistic source material and respond to issues that have previously been raised by the media. It discusses the implications and effects of this predominantly anonymous discourse and shows how its specific conditions bring about more daring and spontaneous interpretations.
