Dire Straits' hit single “Sultans of Swing” is from the Seventies. The song was recorded and released in 1978, making it one of the defining rock singles of the decade's late period.
Written by guitarist and vocalist Mark Knopfler, the song was inspired by seeing a modest jazz band play in a nearly empty pub. Its lyrics celebrate musicians who keep performing for the love of music, even without a glamorous audience. Knopfler's clean, fingerstyle guitar playing became the track's most recognizable musical feature.
The song began as a demo recorded by the newly formed Dire Straits. After radio exposure attracted attention, the band rerecorded it for its debut album, Dire Straits, produced by Muff Winwood. The album and single helped launch the band's international career.
Listeners sometimes associate “Sultans of Swing” with the 1980s because Dire Straits became even more famous during that decade, especially after the blockbuster album Brothers in Arms. The song itself predates that success: its original breakthrough came in 1978.