Dire Straits

Mark Knopfler's spare, tasteful guitar lines and distinctive vocals mark their self-titled debut album of bluesy tunes that even on first listen, sound as if you've just wandered into a local pub to hear a great rock band over a beer.  Thanks to the Top Ten hit "Sultans of Swing," Dire Straits was a major success in both Britain and America, with the single and album climbing into the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic.