When was The Encyclopedia of Popular Music initiated?

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music was initiated in 1989, marking a significant moment in the documentation and academic study of popular music. This comprehensive reference work aimed to catalog the diverse landscape of popular music, helping to provide detailed information about artists, albums, genres, and the cultural contexts that shaped popular music throughout the decades.

By starting in 1989, the encyclopedia emerged during a vibrant period of musical innovation and change, reflecting the global rise in music genres and the increasing academic and public interest in popular music as a legitimate art form. The choice of this year also coincided with advancements in technology that allowed for better compilation and distribution of information, which aided in presenting a thorough examination of the popular music scene.

The other years presented in the options do not align with the actual initiation of the encyclopedia, as it did not exist before the 1980s, and the subsequent years did not correspond with its launch either.