Material was an American band formed in 1979 and operating until 1999, led by producer and bassist Bill Laswell.

The group began in 1978 coalescing at Giorgio Gomelsky's Zu House in Manhattan with at its core Laswell, Michael Beinhorn, Fred Maher, Cliff Cultreri and Kramer, acting as a house band for visiting European musicians, such as Daevid Allen. Laswell, Beinhorn, Maher and Cultreri evolved as Material in 1979 first releasing the Temporary Music EP, followed by two more albums (Memory Serves and One Down) with an ever-revolving list of contributors, including singers such as Nona Hendryx, Bernard Fowler and Whitney Houston.

From 1982, the name would be used by Laswell and Beinhorn for many projects, including Herbie Hancock's Future Shock album and "Rockit" single, Timezone's "World Destruction" single, and from 1985 onward solely by Laswell such as on Sly and Robbie's Rhythm Killers and Public Image Ltd.'s Album.

Laswell would continue with the name as a front for his own projects up until 1999, releasing four more studio albums (Seven Souls, The Third Power, Hallucination Engine and Intonarumori).