Mellow Gold is Beck's first major-label studio release and, despite previous low-fi recordings, is considered his first official album. Mellow Gold was released on March 1, 1994 (see 1994 in music) on the strength of the surprise hit "Loser" (U.S. #10). Critics noted its hybrid of styles and ironic, witty lyrics. Because of the novelty style of "Loser," Beck was initially perceived by some as a flash in the pan, but the subsequent release of critically-acclaimed album Odelay has long silenced these claims. Mellow Gold reached #13 in the U.S., going platinum, and #41 in the UK.

In an effort to get the album into stores such as Wal-Mart and Kmart, which do not stock albums with a Parental Advisory sticker, a "clean" version of the album was released shortly after the original version. This version removes all profanity and replaces the "offensive" song titles. The song titles in question are listed as "Fuckin With My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)" and "Mutherfuker."