Red Snapper are a British instrumental band founded in London in 1993 by Ali Friend (double bass), Richard Thair (drums), and David Ayers (guitar). The three core members are also joined by various guest musicians and vocalists on different records.

Stylistically, Red Snapper's music contains elements of jazz, funk, jungle, trip-hop, hip-hop and breakbeat, as well as references to early psychedelic and progressive rock.

The band released three EPs before signing to Warp Records for their debut LP Prince Blimey (1996). The band were a somewhat unusual feature of Warp Records' 1990s roster: in contrast to the studio-oriented idm the label primarily dealt in, the band had a very live and organic sound: a smoky mixture of dub, jazz and all tempos of breakbeat from trip hop to drum and bass.

For their follow-up Making Bones they were joined by jungle MC Det and singer Alison David. The latter was replaced by Karim Kendra by their third album, Our Aim is to Satisfy Red Snapper (2000).

In early 2002, Red Snapper announced its dissolution, but the band reunited the following year.

In 2002 was released It's All Good compilation, that included previously unreleased track "Ultaviolet". The next year (2003) was released remix-album Redone, which included 2 tracks remixed by former members of Red Snapper (Rich Thair and Ali Friend, credited as The Creation).

The band then disbanded once again, only to reform in 2007, with low key gigs in London and a surprise slot as second headliners at the Big Chill festival. In 2008 they announced a string of further gigs, including one of the headlining slots at the Bloc weekend. They are currently recording new material.