Dire Straits

United Kingdom, 1977–1995

English band led by Mark Knopfler, formed in 1977. Knopfler's fingerpicked guitar and narrative lyrics on 'Sultans of Swing' and 'Money for Nothing' sold in very large numbers.

MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced Dire Straits and 1 artist Dire Straits influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Dire Straits?

• Bob Dylan — Mark Knopfler's talky, poetic phrasing openly echoes Dylan's drawl — the songwriting model behind Dire Straits.
• Chet Atkins — Chet Atkins's fingerstyle 'Nashville cluck and strut' is at the root of Knopfler's clean picked guitar tone.
• Bruce Springsteen — Springsteen's sprawling romanticism was among the influences shaping Knopfler's storytelling rock.

Which artists did Dire Straits influence?

• The War on Drugs — The clean, wide, delayed guitar tone and the unhurried adult-rock sound of A Deeper Understanding.