Athlete are a British alternative rock band formed in Deptford, London, comprising Joel Pott (lead vocals and guitar), Carey Willetts (bass and backing vocals), Stephen Roberts (drums and backing vocals) and Tim Wanstall (keyboards and backing vocals). Recently, the quartet have recruited Jonny Pilcher of Weevil as a live guitarist.

The band had a brief period of high-profile domestic success in which their debut album Vehicles & Animals (2003) was a platinum seller in 2005 and Mercury Music Prize nomination. It was followed up by Tourist (2005) which reached #1 and sold over 500,000 copies allowing this album to also go platinum. Since then the band has continued to release records on regular basis. Their last two albums Beyond the Neighbourhood (2007) and Black Swan (2009) sees the band exploring different styles, influenced by the works of The Beach Boys and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.