The Blue Nile is an alternative/pop band from Glasgow, Scotland, known for their perfectionist work ethic and long gaps between releases.

The music of The Blue Nile is built heavily on synthesizers and electronic instrumentation and percussion, although later works have featured acoustic guitar more prominently. Despite the "coldness" often associated with the use of such electronic instruments, The Blue Nile has managed to create music that is deeply emotional, and a lot of this has to do with the plaintive vocals of lead singer Paul Buchanan, whom critics have often compared to Peter Gabriel. The lyrics are often stream-of-consciousness descriptions of feelings and environments, which heighten the drama of the compositions, which are as much soundscapes as they are songs.

The band was formed when friends Buchanan and Paul Joseph Moore met Robert Bell shortly after graduating from the University of Glasgow in the late 1970s. Their debut album A Walk Across the Rooftops was the result of a request from the Linn Company to test a newly built recording studio!

The rare, later albums have been released by the scottish high end hifi company Linn and feature exceptional sound and production values.