Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits

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Sultans of Swing:
The Very Best of Dire Straits
Theverybestofdirestraits.jpg
Greatest hits album by
Dire Straits
Released19 October 1998 (1998-10-19)
Recorded1978–1992
Genre Roots rock
Length78:59
Label
Dire Straits chronology
Live at the BBC
(1995)		Sultans of Swing:
The Very Best of Dire Straits
(1998)		 Private Investigations
(2005)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits is the second greatest hits compilation by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 19 October 1998 by Mercury Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album was originally released, featuring liner notes by Robert Sandall, as both a single CD and a limited edition double CD, with the second CD containing live recordings from Mark Knopfler's first solo tour in 1996. A DVD of the same name was also released, featuring the music videos of all the songs on the single CD version, in addition to short interviews with Mark Knopfler about each song. The album is named after the band's 1978 hit single of the same name. In 2002, a limited edition box set, comprising the two CDs and the DVD, was released as part of Universal's "Sight and Sound" series.

Contents

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Knopfler, except where noted

Disc One
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Sultans of Swing"  Dire Straits , 19785:50
2."Lady Writer"  Communiqué , 19793:49
3."Romeo and Juliet"  Making Movies , 19806:05
4."Tunnel of Love" (Containing an extract from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel Waltz") Making Movies8:14
5."Private Investigations"" (Edited version)  Love over Gold , 19825:54
6."Twisting by the Pool"  ExtendedancEPlay , 19833:36
7."Love over Gold" (live)  Alchemy: Dire Straits Live , 19843:40
8."So Far Away" (Edited version)  Brothers in Arms , 19854:03
9."Money for Nothing" ( Radio edit )Knopfler, Sting Brothers in Arms4:09
10."Brothers in Arms" (Edited version) Brothers in Arms4:55
11."Walk of Life" Brothers in Arms4:12
12."Calling Elvis" (Edited version)  On Every Street , 19914:41
13."Heavy Fuel" On Every Street4:54
14."On Every Street" (Edited version) On Every Street4:39
15."Your Latest Trick" (live)  On the Night , 19935:41
16."Local Hero/Wild Theme" (live)  Encores , 19934:23
Disc two

The following tracks were recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall on 23 May 1996 by Mark Knopfler.

  1. "Calling Elvis" – 9:05
  2. "Walk of Life" – 5:28
  3. "Last Exit to Brooklyn" – 2:23
  4. "Romeo and Juliet" – 7:30
  5. "Sultans of Swing" – 13:14
  6. "Brothers in Arms" – 8:54
  7. "Money for Nothing" – 6:37

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [31] Platinum60,000^
Australia (ARIA) [32] 6× Platinum420,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria) [33] Gold25,000*
Belgium (BEA) [34] Platinum50,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [35] Platinum42,743 [35]
France (SNEP) [36] Platinum300,000*
Germany (BVMI) [37] Gold250,000^
Greece (IFPI Greece) [38] Gold15,000^
Hungary (MAHASZ) [39] Gold 
Italy (FIMI) [40] Gold50,000*
Netherlands (NVPI) [41] Gold50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [42] Platinum15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway) [43] Platinum50,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [44] 2× Platinum200,000^
Sweden (GLF) [45] Platinum80,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [46] Platinum50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [47] 2× Platinum600,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI) [48] 4× Platinum4,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Dire Straits</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Dire Straits

Dire Straits is the debut studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits, released on 9 June 1978 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album features the hit single "Sultans of Swing", which reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the top of the album charts in Germany, Australia and France, number 2 in the United States and number 5 in the United Kingdom. Dire Straits was later certified double platinum in both the United States and the United Kingdom by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) respectively.

<i>Communiqué</i> (Dire Straits album) 1979 studio album by Dire Straits

Communiqué is the second studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 5 June 1979 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album featured the single "Lady Writer," which reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 51 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached number one on album charts in Germany, Spain, New Zealand, and Sweden, number 11 in the United States and number 5 in the United Kingdom. Communiqué was later certified gold in the United States, platinum in the United Kingdom and double-platinum in France.

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<i>Making Movies</i> 1980 studio album by Dire Straits

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<i>Love over Gold</i> 1982 studio album by Dire Straits

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<i>Money for Nothing</i> (album) 1985 album by Dire Straits

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private Investigations (song)</span> 1982 single by Dire Straits

"Private Investigations" is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits from their album Love over Gold. It reached number 2 in the United Kingdom, and is one of their biggest chart successes in the UK. The track has appeared on the compilation albums Money for Nothing and Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, and is the title track to the more recent 2005 compilation, Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler.

<i>Private Investigations</i> (album) 2005 compilation album by Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler

Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler is the third compilation album by Dire Straits and Scottish-born British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released in 2005 by Mercury and Vertigo internationally, and Warner Bros. in the United States. Named after their 1982 hit single, the album consists of material by Dire Straits, with songs selected from the group's six studio albums from 1978 up through the group's dissolution in 1995. It also features work from the solo career of the group's singer, songwriter, and guitarist Mark Knopfler, including some of his soundtrack material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dire Straits discography</span>

The discography of English rock band Dire Straits consists of six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays and 31 singles. Dire Straits also have sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists in the world.

<i>Tracker</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Mark Knopfler

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References

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  2. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  4. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Top 100 CDs". RPM . 68 (8). 16 November 1998. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Hits of the World – Eurochart". Billboard . 110 (46): 63. 14 November 1998. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Dire Straits: Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "InfoDisc: Tous les "Chart Runs" des Albums classés depuis 1985 dans le Top Albums Officiel". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2013.Search under the drop-down menu for DIRE STRAITS and click OK.
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  13. ↑ "Hits of the World – Ireland". Billboard . 110 (45): 51. 7 November 1998. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  15. ↑ "Charts.nz – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  17. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  19. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
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  26. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  27. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  28. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  29. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1999". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  30. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2004" (PDF). Official Charts Company . Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  31. ↑ "Gold & Platinum Certifications". CAPIF (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 July 2011.
  32. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  33. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  35. 1 2 "Dire Straits" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  36. ↑ "French album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  37. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Dire Straits; 'Sultans of Swing')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  38. ↑ "Ελληνικό Chart – Top 50 Ξένων Aλμπουμ" (in Greek). IFPI Greece . Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  39. ↑ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2001" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ . Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  40. ↑ "Italian album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 29 May 2015. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Sultans of Swing" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  41. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved 19 August 2019.Enter Sultans of Swing in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1998 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  42. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  43. ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  44. ↑ "Spanish album certifications" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España . Retrieved 4 January 2013.Select Álbumes under "Categoría", select 2005 under "Año". Select 06 under "Semana". Click on "BUSCAR LISTA".
  45. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  46. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Sultans of Swing')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  47. ↑ "British album certifications – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 4 January 2013.Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Sultans of Swing in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  48. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2009". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
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