The earlier ones are often considered to be parts of the National Romanticist interests in folklore.
The monumental efforts of single enthusiasts laid the foundation for the modern academic investigations of epic folk songs.
Child's comments show that he indeed could read and understand ballads in Scandinavian languages.
The following table lists comparable pioneering works from different countries or language areas, and corresponding modern scholarly collections or classifications.
The 'pioneers' are not necessarily the first collectors, but they were each the first to gain widespread recognition, and to provide classification or at least useful enumeration.