Dire Straits

• A story circulated that Dire Straits saw the actual 'Sultans of Swing' band playing in a pub and wrote the song about them. Mark Knopfler has said the name and band were entirely fictional.
• A friend of Mark Knopfler's commented on the band's poor financial situation early on, saying they were in 'dire straits,' and the name stuck.

• Awarded the British Group by British Phonographic Industry (Brit) in 1983

• Had 1 US Chart Number 1.
• Included in Johnnie's Jukebox chart. For more details visit BBC.

• Alan Clark
• Terry Williams (UK)

• 1979
• Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 18 March 1979 and reached number 8.
• Lady Writer - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 22 July 1979 and reached number 51.
• 1981
• Romeo And Juliet - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 18 January 1981 and reached number 8.
• Skateaway - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 29 March 1981 and reached number 37.
• Tunnel Of Love - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 18 October 1981 and reached number 54.
• 1982
• Private Investigations - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 05 September 1982 and reached number 2.
• 1983
• Twisting By The Pool - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 16 January 1983 and reached number 14.
• 1984
• Love Over Gold (live) - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 19 February 1984 and reached number 50.
• 1985
• So Far Away - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 14 April 1985 and reached number 20.
• Money For Nothing - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 30 June 1985 and reached number 4.
• Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 20 October 1985 and reached number 16.
• 1986
• Walk Of Life - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 19 January 1986 and reached number 2.
• Your Latest Trick - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 27 April 1986 and reached number 26.
• 1991
• Calling Elvis - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 25 August 1991 and reached number 21.
• Heavy Fuel - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 27 October 1991 and reached number 55.
• 1992
• On Every Street - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 23 February 1992 and reached number 42.
• The Bug - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 21 June 1992 and reached number 67.
• 1993
• Encores - Dire Straits entered the UK charts on 16 May 1993 and reached number 31.

• 1979
• Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 10 February 1979 and reached number 4.
• Lady Writer - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 28 July 1979 and reached number 45.
• 1980
• Skateaway - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 20 December 1980 and reached number 58.
• 1983
• Industrial Disease - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 08 January 1983 and reached number 75.
• 1985
• Money For Nothing - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 13 July 1985 and reached number 1.
• Walk Of Life - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 02 November 1985 and reached number 7.
• 1986
• So Far Away - Dire Straits entered the US charts on 01 March 1986 and reached number 19.

• Love Over Gold - Dire Straits