The Mermen are an American rock band from San Francisco, California that formed in 1989. The group's sound was originally rooted in surf and psychedelic rock music of the 1960s, although they have made "sincere attempts to get away from the surf music label" and currently delves into many genres, mainly influenced by the band's founder, songwriter and guitarist Jim Thomas' modern melodic visions. The band's music is entirely instrumental and "does a good job of defying description". In concert, the Mermen almost always performs as a trio: electric guitar, electric bass, and drums. They were featured in the soundtrack of the popular Sony PlayStation video game Road Rash 3D and have contributed music for films as well.

The Mermen have a fervent and loyal following of fans from around the world and are widely acclaimed by music critics.