- They were the first band to sell a million copies in the then new CD format when their "Brothers in Arms" album was released in 1985.
- When MTV branched out to Europe on 1 August 1987, the band's "Money for Nothing" was the very first video to be aired for the launch. The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" had been used for the premiere of MTV in the US on 1 August 1981.
- The name came about because most of its members were broke when they formed the band.
- They won the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Group in 1983 and 1986 and "Brothers in Arms" won the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Album in 1987.
- They were discovered by Charlie Gillett in 1976 after he played "Sultans of Swing" from the band's demo tape on his influential BBC Radio London show Honky Tonk.
- The members have included Mark Knopfler, John Illsley, Alan Clark, Guy Fletcher, Phil Palmer, Chris White, Chris Whitten, Danny Cummings, Paul Franklin and David Knopfler.
- On the band's hit "Money for Nothing" (1985), Sting sings the backing vocals refrain ("I want my MTV...") to the air of his own Grammy-winning track "Don't Stand So Close to Me".
- After attending a Vince Gill gig in New York in 1989, Mark Knopfler was so impressed with his guitar playing he asked him to join Dire Straits, but since Vince had just signed a contract with MCA Records he had to decline the offer.
- They were turned down for a session by the influential BBC Radio One DJ John Peel in their early career, something which Peel claimed to have never regretted as he didn't rate them at all. Other hugely successful bands he turned down included U2 and The Police.
- When Dire Straits were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, they were the first artist in the hall's history to not have an official induction speaker (which was usually done by another musician). Band member John Illsley did the induction speech himself.
- They won Grammys in following categories: "Money for Nothing" (Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal) (1985); "Brothers in Arms" (Best Music Video, Short Form) (1986).
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