Led by guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler, the group built their sound upon the laid-back blues-rock of J.J. If anything, the band was a direct outgrowth of the roots revivalism of pub rock, but where pub rock celebrated good times, Dire Straits were melancholy. The rest of the album is pretty consistent and keeps on demonstrating how Dire Straits managed to scheme a pop-rock album that somehow doesn’t really sound that commercial or ordinary.Dire Straits emerged during the post-punk era of the late '70s, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk. The jazzy “Why Worry” and “Your Latest Trick” impress with well-polished and terrific Caribbean paradise melody and definitely make-up for the rest of the album. “Walk of Life” gives us a little bit of that boogie “Sultans of Swing” vibe with its upbeat and optimistic melody. In addition, Mark Knopfler’s impeccable sense of musicianship and pop songcraft can also be felt in the bluesy, love songs “Why Worry” and “So Far Away”. The lyrics of “Money for Nothing” are also quite intriguing and comical as they depict an underdog’s objections towards rock music, money and fame. Not to mention of course its computer-animated music video that established a total dominance on MTV back in the day. The song grabs with its unforgettable guitar riffs and futuristic electronic sound. The international success of “Brothers in Arms” should be credited to the finest moment of the album – the hit single “Money for Nothing”, co-written by Sting. The album is very carefully produced and crafted in such a beautiful way that can’t but leave an impression. Personnel: Mark Knopfler – guitars, lead vocals John Illsley – bass, vocals Alan Clark – keyboards Guy Fletcher – synthesizer, backing vocals Omar Hakim – drums Terry Williams – drums Singles: “So Far Away”, “Money for Nothing”, “Brothers in Arms”, “Walk of Life”, “Your Latest Trick” Producer(s): Neil Dorfsman, Mark Knopfler Label: Vertigo Records (UK), Warner Bros. Recorded: November 1984 – March 1985, AIR Studios, Montserrat It sold over 30 million copies worldwide and it’s the eight-best-selling-album in UK chart history and one of the best-selling albums in the world! Why was this album such a phenomenal success? Well, it’s a combination of factors, actually, including a surprisingly well-crafted attack of jazz and rock sound and uplifting pop beats. This album literally conquered the world.

The level of its greatness can be proven with numbers – 10 weeks at number one on the UK Album charts, 9 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 Chart in USA, 34 weeks at number one on the Australian Album chart and number one on album charts in numerous other countries such as Germany, Greece, Canada, Finland, France, etc. Dire Straits’ “Brothers in Arms” is one of those albums that are absolutely essential and one should most certainly have it in their record collection.

Best dire straits album