The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations is a 2005 best of album. Named after their 1982 hit single, it consists of material by Dire Straits, with songs selected from the majority of the group's six studio albums (excluding the 1979 album Communiqué) from 1978 up to the group's dissolution in 1995. It also features work from the solo career of the lead guitarist and singer, Mark Knopfler, including some of his soundtrack material. The only previously unreleased track on the album is "All The Roadrunning", a duet with country music singer Emmylou Harris. The US version omits "Darling Pretty", but adds "Skateaway". The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations is a 2005 best of album. Named after their 1982 hit single, it consists of material by Dire Straits, with songs selected from the majority of the group's six studio albums (excluding the 1979 album Communiqué) from 1978 up to the group's dissolution in 1995. It also features work from the solo career of the lead guitarist and singer, Mark Knopfler, including some of his soundtrack material. The only previously unreleased track on the album is "All The Roadrunning", a duet with country music singer Emmylou Harris. The US version omits "Darling Pretty", but adds "Skateaway". false 2025-11-07 21:24:12 2005 2005-11-07 2005-11-07 63 Rock 111278 2120912 7a368bfa-854a-4c24-9515-f39f8dfb5316 614e3804-7d34-41ba-857f-811bad7c2b7a 220dac35-e284-35be-ae11-3f842b593cee /media/data/media5/Music/Dire Straits/Private Investigations - The Best Of/folder.jpg Dire Straits Mark Knopfler Dire Straits Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler 1 2 05:48 1 3 06:18 1 4 06:00 1 5 08:10 1 6 05:59 1 9 06:59 1 10 04:08 2 2 05:04 2 3 05:02 2 6 04:09 2 8 04:56 Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1990 to 1995.Their first single, "Sultans of Swing", from their 1978 self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts. It was followed by hit singles including "Romeo and Juliet" (1981), "Private Investigations" (1982), "Twisting by the Pool" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and "Walk of Life" (1985). Their most commercially successful album, Brothers in Arms (1985), has sold more than 30 million copies; it was the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc and is the eighth-best-selling album in UK history. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Albums, Dire Straits have spent over 1,100 weeks on the UK albums chart, the fifth most of all time.Dire Straits' sound draws from various influences, including country, folk, the blues rock of J. J. Cale, and jazz. Their stripped-down sound contrasted with punk rock and demonstrated a roots rock influence that emerged from pub rock. There were several changes in personnel, with Mark Knopfler and Illsley being the only members who lasted from the beginning of the band's existence to the end. After their first breakup in 1988, Knopfler told Rolling Stone: "A lot of press reports were saying we were the biggest band in the world. There's not an accent then on the music, there's an accent on popularity. I needed a rest." They disbanded for good in 1995, after which Knopfler launched a solo career full-time. He has since declined numerous reunion offers.Dire Straits were called "the biggest British rock band of the 80s" by Classic Rock magazine; their 1985–1986 world tour, which included a performance at Live Aid in July 1985, set a record in Australasia. Their final world tour from 1991 to 1992 sold 7.1 million tickets. Dire Straits won four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards (Best British Group twice), two MTV Video Music Awards, and various other awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Dire Straits have sold between 100 and 120 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of the best-selling music artists. Mercury Records