Soft Machine was a pioneering British psychedelic, progressive rock and jazz band from Canterbury, England, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury Scene.

The band originally consisted of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen and Mike Ratledge, most of whom were former members of Wilde Flowers. Later members have included Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, John Etheridge, Karl Jenkins, John Marshall, and Allan Holdsworth.

Numerous offshoots and side projects have included "Soft" in their names: Soft Heap, Soft Head, Soft Works, and the band Matching Mole, a play on words for the French of Soft Machine ('machine molle'). As of 2005, Soft Machine Legacy is a working concern. It is interesting to note that the Soft Machine was the only opening act that was ever actually sanctioned by Jimi Hendrix. They received a lot of poor treatment at many of the smaller venues the Experience played at due to their somber stage demeanor, and actually sitting still in front of music stands full of charts and written music while they performed!