Editing Level 42 (section)

{{Short description|English jazz-funk band}}
{{About|the English band|their 1981 album|Level 42 (album)|the song by Kaela Kimura|Level 42 (song)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Level 42
| image             = Level42 indigoO2 2009 02.jpg
| caption           = Level 42 in 2009
| background        = group_or_band
| origin            = [[Isle of Wight]], England
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Jazz-funk]]<ref name="AM">{{cite web|first= Stephen Thomas |last= Erlewine |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title= Level 42 – Artist Biography |publisher= [[AllMusic]]. [[All Media Network]] |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/level-42-mn0000255887/biography |access-date= 27 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="Metzer">{{cite book|first= Greg |last= Metzer |title= Rock Band Name Origins: The Stories of 240 Groups and Performers |page= 114 |year= 2008 |publisher= McFarland |isbn= 978-0-7864-5531-7 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=R857BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA114}}</ref><ref name="Chris">Jisi, Chris (1 August 2010). {{cite web|url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/guitarplayercom/jan-00/4990 |title=Royal Return: Mark King Leads Level 42 On Its 30th Anniversary Comeback |access-date=22 May 2013 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203014740/http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/guitarplayercom/jan-00/4990 |archive-date= 3 February 2014 }}. ''[[Guitar Player]]''.</ref> 
* [[sophisti-pop]]<ref name="AM"/><ref>{{cite web |first1= Thomas |last1= Inskeep |first2= Alfred |last2= Soto |title= The Bluffer's Guide – Sophisti-Pop |work= [[Stylus Magazine|Stylus]] |url= http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/bluffer/sophisti-pop.htm |access-date= 29 April 2016 |archive-date= 14 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160314172451/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/bluffer/sophisti-pop.htm |url-status= dead }}</ref> 
* [[dance-rock]]<ref name="AM"/> 
* [[New wave music|new wave]]<ref name="Chris"/> 
* [[synth-pop]]<ref name="Metzer"/>
}}
| discography       = [[Level 42 discography]]
| years_active      = {{hlist|1979–1994|2001–present}}
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Polydor Records|Polydor]]
* [[RCA Records|RCA]]
* [[Universal Music Group|W14/Universal]]
* Level42
}}
| website           = {{URL|Level42.com}}
| spinoff_of        = [[M (band)|M]]
| current_members   = * [[Mark King (musician)|Mark King]]
* [[Mike Lindup]]
* [[Nathan King (musician)|Nathan King]]
* Pete Ray Biggin
* Dan Carpenter
* Sean Freeman
* Nichol Thomson
| past_members      = * [[Phil Gould (musician)|Phil Gould]]
* [[Boon Gould|Rowland 'Boon' Gould]] 
* [[Gary Husband]]
* [[Alan Murphy]]
}}
'''Level 42''' are an English [[jazz-funk]] band formed on the [[Isle of Wight]] in 1979. They had a number of UK and worldwide hits during the 1980s and 1990s.

Their highest-charting single in the UK was "[[Lessons in Love (Level 42 song)|Lessons in Love]]", which reached number three on the [[UK Singles Chart]], and number 12 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart, upon its release in 1986. An earlier single, "[[Something About You (Level 42 song)|Something About You]]", was their most successful chart-wise in the United States, reaching number 7 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.

Musically the band encompasses [[jazz funk]], [[pop music|pop]], [[rock music|rock]], [[New wave music|new wave]], and [[synth-pop]], and are noted for frontman [[Mark King (musician)|Mark King]]'s [[Slapping (music)|slap]] bass guitar playing, as well as the harmonies of King's deep tenor voice and the high tenor/falsetto backing vocals of keyboardist [[Mike Lindup]]<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.musicradar.com/news/bass/10-of-the-greatest-slap-bass-players-you-need-to-hear-594757# | title= 10 of the greatest slap bass players you need to hear | work=MusicRadar | date=27 February 2014 | access-date=25 September 2017}}</ref>

After much success as a live and studio band in the 1980s, Level 42's commercial profile diminished during the early 1990s following a series of personnel changes and musical shifts. Disbanding in 1994, the band reformed in 2001.