Money for Nothing

"Money for Nothing" is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits, the second track on their fifth studio album Brothers in Arms (1985). It was released as the album's second single on 28 June 1985 through Vertigo Records. The song's lyrics are written from the point of view of two working-class men watching music videos and commenting on what they see. The song features a guest appearance by Sting, who sings the signature falsetto introduction, background vocals and a backing chorus of "I want my MTV" set to the same notes as the verses of the Police's hit "Don't Stand So Close To Me". The groundbreaking Steve Barron-directed music video, one of the first uses of computer-animated human characters, was the first to be aired on MTV Europe when the network launched on 1 August 1987. "Money for Nothing" peaked at number one for three weeks on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Rock Top Tracks chart and at number four in the band's native UK. In July 1985, the month following its release, Dire Straits and Sting performed the song at Live Aid. At the 28th Annual Grammy Awards in 1986, "Money for Nothing" won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year as well. At the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, the music video received 11 nominations, winning Video of the Year and Best Group Video. It is considered one of the band's signature songs. Until 2026, the sound of Sting’s "MTV" in the introduction just prior to the drum cadenza served as the audio for MTV Entertainment Studios production credit title card.