Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler

Despite their arena-rock surroundings, Dire Straits were never ones for power chords and bombast. Songs such as the title tracks to Brothers In Arms and On Every Street start out in a virtual whisper. Of course, when called upon, they could provide an up-tempo gem, such as "Walk of Life" and the anthemic "Money for Nothing." And it's worth the price of admission just to hear Mark Knopfler repeat the word Creole in their debut smash, "Sultans of Swing."

Mark Knopfler so dominated his band musically that many of the tracks on his solo albums sound like they could have been Dire Straits songs, particularly "The Trawlerman's Song," from Shangri-La. Of special note when it comes to Knopfler's solo tunes is James Taylor's contribution to the title track on Sailing to Philadelphia. Throughout their respective careers, both Knopfler and Dire Straits demonstrate a mature and meticulously crafted sound.

As you immerse yourself in Dire Straits' history, you'll discover that we've included all the tracks from Brothers In Arms. Much like Michael Jackson's Thriller, it was both a defining moment for the band and a devastatingly great album wall to wall, selling more than ten million albums in the United States alone. But don't overlook the quiet brilliance of Knopfler's duet album with guitar legend Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck, particularly "So Soft, Your Goodbye."

Someone forgot to give Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler the memo that the headband-on-a-balding-guy look was never in, even during the atrociously fashion-challenged, ripped-sweatshirt-and-leg-warmer phase of pop music from which Dire Straits sprang. Fortunately, they didn't have to make it on looks alone; Knopfler's backing band was enough to keep Straits afloat, and his guitar playing and composing skills took the group to the stratosphere. Leaning on a bluesy rock sound that owed much to both Bob Dylan lyrically and the UK pub-rock scene musically (in fact, former Man and Rockpile drummer Terry Williams was briefly a member), Dire Straits built a huge international following in the '80s.