On August 1, 1988, the grunge takeover of the world began. That was the day that Sub Pop Records released Mudhoney's debut single, "Touch Me I'm Sick"/"Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More," and underground/alternative rock would never be the same.

It wasn't the first release on Sub Pop; the label was an offshoot of a zine that had been putting out compilations of Seattle bands since the early '80s. It wasn't even the first grunge record. They'd already released Soundgarden's Screaming Life and Fopp EPs, singles by Blood Circus and Swallow, the debut album by the Fluid, and an album and EP by Green River, a Wipers-esque band featuring vocalist Mark Arm, guitarists Steve Turner and Stone Gossard, and bassist Jeff Ament. Green River's Dry As A Bone, in fact, was promoted by Sub Pop with the phrase "ultra-loose GRUNGE that destroyed the morals of a generation."

 - Stereogum