Nightingales are a British post-punk/alternative rock band formed in 1979 in Birmingham, England by four members of Birmingham's original punk group The Prefects who had been part of The Clash's 'White Riot Tour', recorded a couple of Peel sessions, released a 45 on Rough Trade and, years after splitting up, had a retrospective CD released by New York indie label Acute Records.

Described in John Robb's definitive book on 'post punk' (Death To Trad Rock) as "The misfits' misfits" and comprising an ever fluctuating line up, based around lyricist/singer Robert Lloyd, the Nightingales enjoyed cult status in the early '80's as darlings of the credible music scene and were championed by John Peel, who said of them - "Their performances will serve to confirm their excellence when we are far enough distanced from the 1980's to look at the period rationally and other, infinitely better known, bands stand revealed as charlatans".