Due to its lengthy atmospheric instrumental passages it has been cited as the band's only album that resembles progressive rock, although not quite achieving it.

Love over Gold sold 4.4 million copies in Europe and reached the gold status in the United States, in 1986.

It was remastered and released with the rest of the Dire Straits catalogue in 1996 for most of the world on Vertigo Records outside the US and in 2000 in the United States.

It is also the last album on which drummer Pick Withers played.

"Private Dancer", a song originally planned for the album, was recorded by the band except for the vocals. Mark Knopfler decided that a female voice would be more appropriate and handed the song to Tina Turner for her comeback album of the same name.

"The Way It Always Starts", another song written during the "Love over Gold" sessions, ended up on Knopfler's soundtrack to "Local Hero" with vocals sung by Gerry Rafferty.

"Badges, Posters, Stickers and T-Shirts" was cut from the album, released in the UK as a B-side, and subsequently released in the U.S. as the 4th track on the ExtendedancEPlay EP.

 1990 Tracklisting
All songs written by Mark Knopfler.

"Telegraph Road" – 14:15 
"Private Investigations" – 6:45 
"Industrial Disease" – 5:49 
"Love over Gold" – 6:16 
"It Never Rains" – 7:54