The Singular Example of Dire Straits - Mark Knopfler Sells Out Without Actually Having to Sell Out

Although the massive 1985 hit "Money for Nothing" and its stylish music video came completely out of left field in terms of everything Dire Straits that had come before, frontman Mark Knopfler simply never made artistic concessions to ensure pop success. That fact alone makes the singer-guitarist and his band an undisputed '80s music marvel, especially given the propensity for so many artists during the decade to reinvent themselves in whatever way might sell records.

Essentially, all Knopfler did with this deserving No. 1 hit was write one of rock's most fiercely satirical anthems of all time, introduce a killer, off-kilter electric guitar lick for the ages, and at the same time take full advantage of the MTV machine he so skillfully lambasted as an effective medium for his work. I never thought about it then, but this wonderfully mocking video is akin to that person you might know who can plunge verbal daggers into unsuspecting victims who never quite seem to realize they've been mortally wounded. Of course, there's far more to Knopfler and Dire Straits than this particular song, but I gotta say I'm still awfully impressed with what the dude with the headband was able to pull off.

• Dire Straits Profile
• Top 6 Dire Straits Songs of the '80s
• Top 10 '80s Makeovers Of Established Artists

Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records