15 Oct
94: “Money for Nothing” becomes a hit for Dire Straits
More commonly known by the hook line “I want my MTV,” which is sung by guest vocalist Sting on the record, “Money for Nothing” is easily one of the most caustic records to make the Top Ten in the 1980s. Smashing all of the trappings of rock & roll stardom in one song, it’s one of Mark Knopfler’s finest lyrical moments. “Money for Nothing” won the Grammy for the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal in 1985. The video was one of the first uses of computer-animated human characters and was considered groundbreaking at the time of its release. It was the first computer generated music video shown on MTV.
Mark Knopfler’s authorized biography, retracing much of the band’s life