dire straits

Determined to get his band heavy exposure, Mark Knopfler borrowed ideas from one of the network's biggest acts.

Given their low-key music and lack of visual flash, these guys seemed like unlikely candidates for mainstream pop stardom.

Dire Straits broke up on September 15, 1988.

Dire Straits released only a handful of albums during their brief time together, and each offers some essential band songs. But which holds up best?

In truth, they'd never come across as overly eager about courting rock radio — and really didn't need to be.