This is the narrator’s crude shorthand for “groupies/attention / romantic interest.” It’s part of the song’s satirical point: the speaker is resentful and simplifying what he sees on TV into a cynical caricature of rock stardom. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iJ-4WolLD0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcqhvPNiJzo&list=RDJcqhvPNiJzo&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ffIJ7ZO4U&list=RDJcqhvPNiJzo&index=3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtFqo6Hmxv0&list=RDJcqhvPNiJzo&index=2 Why the song became the MTV-era anthem

• It was released as a single in 1985 from Brothers in Arms and became Dire Straits’ biggest commercial hit. 
• The song is explicitly about watching MTV, and it features Sting singing the famous “I want my MTV” refrain.
• The music video was considered groundbreaking for its early use of computer animation and became closely associated with MTV culture. 

Why is it also controversial?

There’s a later verse that uses a homophobic slur (I won’t repeat it).  Mark Knopfler has explained that the narrator is an “ignoramus” persona, highlighting the song’s critique and prompting the audience to reflect on its layered message, including its controversial aspects and their historical context.

The deeper point (and why it still resonates)

“Money for Nothing” is basically a time capsule of:

• Class resentment (manual labor vs. “glamour work”),
• Media envy (TV turns distant lives into daily comparison), and
• Early realization that in the MTV era, image became part of the job.

It’s satire with teeth—delivered through the voice of someone who thinks he’s “calling it like it is,” encouraging the audience to feel contemplative and critically engaged about societal views.

The lyrics to “Money for Nothing” were inspired by a specific real-world moment Mark Knopfler encountered—and he transformed that moment into a song, making the story more relatable and genuine.

The core inspiration: an appliance store + MTV + a working-class rant

• Knopfler has explained that he was in a TV / custom kitchen/appliance store in New York City where a wall of televisions was tuned to MTV. 
• Standing nearby was a store employee (Knopfler described him as dressed in work clothes, moving boxes) who started commenting sarcastically on the musicians in the videos—mocking how “easy” their jobs looked compared to manual labor. 
• Knopfler said he borrowed paper and wrote down phrases the guy was using “because it was more real,” then later shaped those lines into the song’s narrative voice. 
• That’s why the song is written in character: the lyrics are from the point of view of working-class guys watching music videos and reacting to what they see, not from Knopfler’s own point of view. 

Where “I want my MTV” came from (and why Sting is credited)

• The “I want my MTV” hook comes from MTV’s own slogan that Knopfler used in the song. 
• Wikipedia also notes it’s set to the same notes as the chorus of The Police’s “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” (written by Sting), which is part of why Sting received a co-writing credit. 
• Knopfler also recalled that Sting visited the studio and contributed his vocal part, essentially on the spot. 

Why the tone feels so biting (and why is it often misunderstood)

• Knopfler later clarified that the narrator is essentially an “ignoramus” persona—his portrayal of envy, misconceptions, and crudeness is meant as satire, helping the audience understand the song’s critical stance rather than endorsing these views.
• The song’s controversial line about easy money and women is framed as the speaker’s cynical worldview rather than the band’s endorsement. 

Sting’s role in Dire Straits – “Money for Nothing” (1985)

Sting’s involvement in “Money for Nothing” is not a cameo for name recognition—it’s structural.  He contributes

(a) A signature vocal hook,

(b) A melodic reference that ties to his own prior work,

(c) Enough original, identifiable material that he received a songwriting credit. 

1) He sings the iconic opening hook: “I want my MTV.”

The instantly recognizable opening/falsetto hook—“I want my MTV”—is sung by Sting and functions as a brand slogan and a chorus preview, anchoring the song to the MTV era.

In practical terms, that vocal line is one of the track’s most memorable “identifiers” (alongside Knopfler’s guitar riff), and it helped the song become tightly associated with MTV and its music-video culture. 

2) He provides backing vocals (not just the intro)

Sting doesn’t only appear at the top—he also contributes background vocals and a backing chorus, reinforcing the MTV hook throughout the track rather than treating it as a one-off.

This matters because it turns the phrase into a recurring motif: it’s a lyrical “chant” that works almost like a second chorus line. 

3) His melody deliberately references The Police

A key reason Sting’s contribution is “sticky” is that the “I want my MTV” line is set to the same notes as the chorus of The Police’s hit.

“Don’t Stand So Close to Me.”

That musical wink is part of the joke: the song satirizes MTV culture while simultaneously employing an MTV-ready hook delivered by one of the era’s most prominent voices. 

4) Why did he get a co-writing credit

The songwriting credits are shared between Mark Knopfler and Sting, and the commonly cited explanation is that Knopfler used the “I want my MTV” idea and set it to a melody associated with Sting’s earlier writing, leading to Sting’s co-writing status.

Sting later described how publishers treated that melodic reference as enough to justify a share of the composition, even though he saw it as a playful quote at the time. 

Note: There’s also an account (from band personnel) suggesting that the introductory idea may have originated with Dire Straits’ keyboardist Alan Clark; however, the official credit remains Knopfler/Sting, and Sting is the performer of the hook on the famous recording. 

5) How Sting got involved (the “Montserrat studio” story)

According to accounts summarized in standard references, Sting was present during the Brothers in Arms sessions (at AIR Studios Montserrat) and contributed his vocal part after hearing the track.

In other words, this wasn’t a remote feature added later—it was integrated into the song’s DNA during the recording process for the album.

6) Impact: The hook helped make it a defining MTV-era hit

“Money for Nothing” became Dire Straits’ biggest commercial single and is widely considered one of the signature songs of the MTV age; Sting’s hook is a big reason the track feels self-referential and “of its moment.”

The song’s success is also wrapped into the album’s awards legacy; Brothers in Arms and its hit singles (including “Money for Nothing”) earned significant industry recognition during that period. 

Bottom line

Sting’s role is threefold:

·         Vocal: He performs the “I want my MTV” hook and supports it with backing vocals. 

·         Compositional: His melodic association with “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” is embedded in the hook, contributing to his songwriting credit. 

·         Cultural: His voice and that chant-like line helped the song become an emblem of the MTV era—satire that also works as a perfect MTV “tag.”