Wiki
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Release Date
17 April 1985
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Length
9 tracks
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, and was a full digital recording (DDD), at a time when most popular music was recorded on analog equipment. 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, " 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)."
It was remastered and released with the rest of the Dire Straits catalogue in 1996 for most of the world outside the U.S. and on September 19, 2000 in the United States. It was also released in XRCD2 format in 2000, Super Audio CD format on July 26, 2005 and DualDisc format on August 16, 2005, winning a Grammy for Best Surround Sound Album.
In 2006, a half-speed-mastered vinyl version of the album was issued. Mastered by the renowned Stan Ricker, this version puts the full-length songs on vinyl for the first time. In order to do this, the album spans four sides on two 33 1/3 rpm discs.
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. In November 2006, the results of a national poll conducted by the public of Australia revealed their top 100 favourite albums. Brothers in Arms came in at number 64 (see "My Favourite Album").
As of April 30 2008, Brothers in Arms was 5th on the list of best-selling albums (UK) and is the 107th best-selling album in the United States.
The album won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards.
Personnel:
Mark Knopfler: guitar, lead vocals
John Illsley: bass, vocals
Alan Clark: organ, synth, piano
Guy Fletcher: synth, vocals
Terry Williams: drums
Additional Personnel:
Omar Hakim: drums
Jack Sonni: guitar
Michael Brecker: saxophone
Randy Brecker: horn
Malcolm Duncan: tenor saxophone
Neil Jason: bass
Tony Levin: bass
Jimmy Maelen: percussion
Michael Mainieri: background vocals
Dave Plews: horn
Sting: vocals on Money for Nothing"
Released 13 May 1985
Recorded November 1984 - March 1985 AIR Studios, Montserrat
AIR Studios, London - Power Station, New York
Length 55:07 (CD)
47:21 (LP)
Label Vertigo (UK), Warner Bros. (U.S.)
Producer Mark Knopfler, Neil Dorfsman
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