 No Depression was released by Rockville Records on June 21 , 1990 . The promotional tour for the album began at Cicero 's Basement , a St. Louis bar associated with Washington University . The tour took Uncle Tupelo to both the East Coast and the Southwestern United States . Missouri radio stations KDHX and KCOU frequently played tracks off the album . By March 1991 , No Depression had sold over 15 @,@ 000 units , a hit by independent record standards . The proceeds from the album recuperated the $ 3 @,@ 500 cost of the album , but Rockville refused to pay the band any royalties . Farrar and Tweedy later successfully sued Rockville CEO Barry Tenenbaum to attain the royalties . The surprise success of the album prompted Columbia Records to pay the band to record additional tracks with Slade and Kolderie at Fort Apache Studio in the summer of 1990 , but the results were not released . Rolling Stone did not publish a review of the album upon its initial release , although the magazine later featured Uncle Tupelo in an article about rising stars alongside the Black Crowes . Rolling Stone later called the album " one of the loudest , loneliest wails in recent memory to arise from the Midwest 's recession @-@ plagued plains " . Robert Christgau dismissed the album as a " dud " . 
