A bandleader is the director of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays either a popular music dance band or a big band, such as one which plays swing music.

Most bandleaders also were performers with their own band. The bandleader role was dependent on a variety of skills, not just musicianship. A bandleader needed to be a music director, promoter, and performer. In general the bands were named after their bandleaders. Some bands have continued operating under their bandleaders' names long after the death of the original bandleader.

Noted United States bandleaders and their instruments include:

• Buddy Rich - Drum Kit
• Count Basie - piano
• Les Brown - saxophone
• Cab Calloway - singer
• Jimmy Dorsey - saxophone
• Tommy Dorsey - trombone
• Duke Ellington - piano
• Benny Goodman - clarinet
• Woody Herman - clarinet
• Glenn Miller - trombone
• Buck Owens - Guitar
• Arthur Pryor - trombone
• B.A. Rolfe - trumpet
• Artie Shaw - clarinet
• John Philip Sousa - violin, flute, cornet, baritone, trombone and alto horn
• Ernest Tubb - Songwriter
• Paul Whiteman - violin
• Miles Davis - trumpet
• Charles Mingus - bass
• Jimmie Lunceford - saxophone

British band leaders included:

• Bert Ambrose
• Acker Bilk - clarinet
• Gary Barlow
• Billy Cotton
• Fred Elizalde
• Ted Heath - trombone
• Spike Hughes
• Jack Hylton

Italian band leaders included:

• Pippo Barzizza
• Renato Carosone - piano
• Gorni Kramer
• Mantovani

Dutch band leaders include:

• Erik van der Luijt

German Bandleaders

• Bert Kaempfert
• James Last - double bass
• Max Raabe - singer

Bandleaders | Bandleader | מוביל הרכב