Wednesday, May 13, 2009

24 Years Ago Today: Dire Straits release "Brothers in Arms"...



'Brothers in Arms' is the fifth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released in 1985. The first half of the album is a development of their unique brand of arena rock which had evolved in their music since the 1980 album 'Making Movies', while the second half consists of more folk-influenced material. The whole album maintains the original Dire Straits' bluesy and laid back guitar-based sound whilst retaining a more lavish and bombastic production and overall sound. It is the band's best selling album.

Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, being the first full digital recording released, although not the first recording digitally recorded and mastered. It was also released on vinyl and cassette. 'Brothers in Arms' was the first album to sell one million copies in the CD format and to outsell its LP version. A Rykodisc staffer would subsequently write, "In 1985 we were fighting to get our CDs manufactured because the entire worldwide manufacturing capacity was overwhelmed by demand for a single rock title...Dire Straits' 'Brothers in Arms'."

In 2000 Q magazine placed 'Brothers in Arms' at number 51 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 351 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Suggested listening:

No comments: