Sub Pop Singles Club

If you regularly attended rock shows in Seattle during the late 80's and 90's, chances are good that you knew at least one member of the now-legendary Sub Pop Singles Club. As indicated by its name, the singles club was a project of the Seattle-based alternative record label Sub Pop, which gave birth to the Seattle grunge phenomenon with its breaking of artists such as Nirvana and Soundgarden.

For a yearly subscription fee, members would receive a brand new 45" record single in the mail every month from a generally outstanding artist; often these singles were exclusives and could be bought in no other form anywhere. Those lucky enough to have been members at the club's inception in November 1988 received the rare Nirvana "Love Buzz" single. This continued for five years, at which point the Sub Pop Singles Club ceased to exist for a time; however, the club was re-launched in April 1998 and its tradition continued through March 2002. After the (second) demise of the Sub Pop Singles Club, Sub Pop made the leftover singles available for purchase online by the general public for the first time. They also put out this tongue-in-cheek press release:

Many rumors have been circulating recently about the disappearance of Singles Club. We here at Sub Pop Records would like to set the record (ha ha) straight once and for all.

Singles Club was found in his apartment on March 1st 2002 spinning around on the floor with a giant hole in his chest. He was rushed to Harborview Medical Center but the damage had already been done. He died later that evening with the White Stripes "China Pig/ Ashtray Heart" record playing on his turntable.

"Good luck finding that one!"

We at Sub Pop Records are truly saddened by the loss of our dear friend and fellow employee. Singles Club led a troubled life. One month he would show up on time grinning ear to ear and proudly exclaim that he had a new band that we needed to "totally check out." Other months however, he wouldn't show up at all and if he did he would try to pass some bogus piece of wax off on us like it was the Second Coming of Christ.

The singles are still sought after by indie kids, grunge fans, and all-around music aficionados everywhere. Recently on eBay, somebody auctioned off the complete Sub Pop Singles Club collection (except for one record by Luna) for $4,500.

Discography of the Sub Pop Singles Club:

Nirvana
Love Buzz/Big Cheese
#1, Released: 1988-11-01
Mudhoney / Sonic Youth
Touch Me I'm Sick / Halloween
#2, Released: 1988-12-01
Flaming Lips
Strychnine / Drug Machine/ What's So Funny
#3, Released: 1989-01-01
Les Thugs
Chess And Crimes/ Sunday Time
#4, Released: 1989-02-01
Helios Creed
Nothing Wrong/ The Sky
#5, Released: 1989-03-01
Afghan Whigs
I Am The Sticks/ White Trash Party
#6, Released: 1989-04-01
Mad Daddies
Alligator Wine/ Take Me Back To Woodstock
#7, Released: 1989-05-01
Tad / Pussy Galore
Damaged 1 / Damaged 2
#8, Released: 1989-06-01
Das Damen
Sad Mile/ Making Time
#9, Released: 1989-07-01
Rapeman
Inki's Butt Crack/ Song Number One
#10, Released: 1989-08-01
Lazy Cowgirls
Loretta/ Hybrid Moments
#11, Released: 1989-09-01
Lonely Moans
Shoot The Cool / Texas Love Goat
#12, Released: 1989-10-01
Honeymoon Killers
Get It Hot / Gettin
#13, Released: 1989-11-01
Fugazi
Joe #1 / Break In / Song #1
#14, Released: 1989-12-01
L7
Shove / Packin A Rod
#15, Released: 1990-01-01
Dwarves
She's Dead/Fuckhead
#16, Released: 1990-02-01
Big Chief
Blowout Kit / Chrome Helmet
#17, Released: 1990-03-01
Lubricated Goat
Meating My Head / 20th Century Rake
#18, Released: 1990-04-01
Babes In Toyland
House / Arriba
#19, Released: 1990-05-01
Thee Headcoats
Davey Crockett / Time WIll Tell
#20, Released: 1990-06-01
Rollins Band
Earache My Eye/ You Know Me
#21, Released: 1990-07-01
Sister Ray
The King / Push Me
#22, Released: 1990-08-01
Unsane
Vandal-X / Street Sweeper
#23, Released: 1990-09-01
Poster Children
Pointed Stick / Thinner-Stronger
#24, Released: 1990-10-01
Poison Idea
We Got The Beat / Taken By Surprise
#25, Released: 1990-11-01
Reverend Horton Heat, The
Psychobilly Freakout / Baby You Know Who
#26, Released: 1990-12-01
Nirvana
Candy / Molly's Lips (Live)
#27, Released: 1991-01-01
Velvet Monkeys
Rock The Nation / Why Dont We Do It In The Road
#28, Released: 1991-02-01
Unrest
A Factory Record
#29, Released: 1991-03-01
Shonen Knife
Neon Zebra / Bear Up Bison (Live)
#30, Released: 1991-04-01
Urge Overkill
Now Thats The Barclords/ What's This Generation
#31, Released: 1991-05-20
Various Artists
Alice Cooper Tribute
#32/33, Released: 1991-06-01
Come
Car / Last Mistake
#34, Released: 1991-08-01
Gorilla
Detox Man / Sober
#35, Released: 1991-09-01
Gories
Give Me Some Money / You Dont Love Me
#36, Released: 1991-10-01
Love Battery
Foot (Alt.) / Mr. Soul
#37, Released: 1991-11-01
Green Magnet School
Singed / Slipper
#38, Released: 1991-12-01
Tsunami / Velocity Girl
Left Behind / Warm/ Crawl
#39, Released: 1992-01-01
Amphetamine Reptile
Smells Like Smoked Sausages
#40/41, Released: 1992-02-01
Mecca Normal / Kreviss
You Heard It All /Broken Flowers / Going To Hell
#42, Released: 1992-04-01
Pain Teens
Death Row Eyes / The Smell
#43, Released: 1992-05-01
Rocket From The Crypt
Normal Carpet Ride / Where Are The Fuckers / Slumb
#44, Released: 1992-06-01
Codeine
Realize / Broken-Hearted Wine
#45, Released: 1992-07-01
Mono Men
Skin And Bones/ Comanche
#47, Released: 1992-09-01
Big Damn Crazy Weight
Might As Well / Off That Cow
#48, Released: 1992-10-01
Anti-Seen
We Got This Far (Without You) / (We Will Not) Reme
#49, Released: 1992-11-01
John Spencer Blues Explosion
Big Yule Log Boogie/ My Christmas Wish
#50, Released: 1992-12-01
Wolverton Bros.
Max Gomez Love / Assasin
#51, Released: 1993-01-01
Bewitched
Hey White Homey/ Troll Doll
#52, Released: 1993-02-01
Dead Moon
Dirty Noise/ Dark Deception
#53, Released: 1993-03-01
Royal Trux
Steal Your Face/ Get Off
#54, Released: 1993-04-01
Ween
Skycruiser / Cruise Control
#57, Released: 1993-07-01
Snowbud
Killer Bud / 3rd Shelf
#58, Released: 1993-08-01
Pigface
Empathy /Steamroller
#60, Released: 1993-10-01
Didjits
Dear Junkie / Skull Baby
#61, Released: 1993-11-01
Lou Barlow
I Am Not Mocking You/ Survival/ Helpless Heartbrea
#62, Released: 1993-12-01

Sup Pop Singles Club v.2

Jesus And Mary Chain, The
Birthday / Hide Myself
#1, Released: 1998-04-21
Modest Mouse
Never Ending Math Equation/ Workin On Leavin (Live)
#2, Released: 1998-05-05
Sukpatch
Stolen Chrome/ Bubble Shaff
#3, Released: 1998-06-23
Luna
Everybody's Talkin/ Fuzzy Wuzzy (Demo)
#4, Released: 1998-07-28
Team Dresch / Longstocking
It's A Conversation / Never Nowhere
#5, Released: 1998-08-25
Ron Sexsmith
You Alone / We'll Manage
#6, Released: 1998-09-22
Creeper Lagoon
The Fountain / Dear Deadly (Dogday Version)
#7, Released: 1998-10-20
Peechees, The
Dallas/ If You Dont Know (Now You Know)
#8, Released: 1998-11-24
Love As Laughter
Nude Hose / Watching Your Fingers
#9, Released: 1998-12-08
Gary Lee Conner
Grasshopper's Dream/ Behind The Smile
#10, Released: 1999-01-12
Get Up Kids
10 Minutes/ Anna Arbour
#11, Released: 1999-02-23
Kent 3, The
The Sleeper / Hatsov Turod
#12, Released: 1999-03-23
Beachwood Sparks
Midsummer Daydream / Windows 65
#13, Released: 1999-04-20
Dot Allison
Colour Me / Tomorrow Never Comes
#14, Released: 1999-05-18
Bonnie Prince Billy
Let's Start A Family / A Whorehouse Is Any House
#15, Released: 1999-06-22
Pedro The Lion
Song A / Song B
#16, Released: 1999-07-20
Rusty Willoughby
Here Come The Weakened / And The World Moves On
#17, Released: 1999-08-24
Crooked Fingers
Atchafalayan Death Waltz / Juliette
#18, Released: 1999-09-21
Catheters, The
Put It Together / Days Gone By
#19, Released: 1999-10-19
Mudhoney
Butterfly Stroke / Editions Of You
#20, Released: 1999-11-16
Amazing Crowns
Chop Shop/ Amateur Night
#21, Released: 1999-12-07
Fields Of Gaffney
Cold Weather / Twilight
#22, Released: 2000-01-18
Dead C
Stealth / The Factory
#24, Released: 2000-02-22
Death Cab For Cutie
Underwater/The Army Corps of Architects
#24, Released: 2000-03-21
Yo-Yos, The
Time of Your Life/Seven Shades of Blue
#26, Released: 2000-04-18
To Rococco Rot
Jackie/Crosby
#25, Released: 2000-04-18
Creatures, The
Take Mine/Sad Cunt
#27, Released: 2000-06-20
Trumans Water
Miss Spaceship/Radar 1941
#28, Released: 2000-07-18
Quadrajets
Bad Mojo at the Border
#29, Released: 2000-08-22
Zeke
Jack Torrance/Evil Dead/Let's Go
#30, Released: 2000-09-19
Migala
The North of Fire/Sad Corner Song
#31, Released: 2000-10-17
Railroad Jerk
Old McNeil/Only One Thing
#32, Released: 2000-11-21
White Stripes, The
Party Of Special Things To Do / China Pig / Ashtray Heart
#33, Released: 2000-12-05
Anniversary, The
What's My Name? My Name Is What? What?/ Tu-whit To-woo
#34, Released: 2001-01-16
Dowd, Johnny
Mother Love/ Daddy's Girl
#35, Released: 2001-02-20
Bright Eyes
I Will Be Grateful For This Day. I Will Be Grateful For Each Day To Come / When The Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under The Glass Again
#36, Released: 2001-03-20
Strictly Ballroom
Fire/ Fire (remix)
#37, Released: 2001-04-01
Kinski
Penthouse Suite/ Please Remain Seated
#38, Released: 2001-05-01
Enon
The Nightmare Of Atomic Men/ Pollen Lane
#39, Released: 2001-06-01
The Tyde
The Worlds Strongest Man/ Sullen Eyes
#40, Released: 2001-07-01
Carissas Wierd
You Should Be Hated Here/ Suedehead (Morrissey)
#45, Released: 2001-12-01
Mazarin
Memories Change in Patterns/ Only Colombe
#46, Released: 2002-01-01
Rye Coalition
Got This Thing on the Move/ Whole Lotta Rosie
#47, Released: 2002-02-01

Press Release and Discography from subpop.com