Stuart Ashton Staples (born 14 November 1965 in Basford, Nottinghamshire)^[1] is an English musician best known as the lead singer of indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples is noted for his recognisable crooning vocal style and a distinctively low, nasal voice.

Prior to co-founding Tindersticks, Staples played in a band called Asphalt Ribbons, whose final line-up was nearly identical to that of his later band.^[2] He has released two solo albums: Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 and Leaving Songs.

Staples is also active as a film composer. He has provided the soundtrack to many of Claire Denis's films, including L'Intrus (2004),^[3][4] White Material (2009),^[5] and High Life (2018). Tindersticks had previously recorded the music to two other Denis films, Nénette et Boni and Trouble Every Day.^[2] In 2007 Staples collaborated with David Boulter on the soundtrack to Tot Ziens! (We'll meet Again), a short by Belgian director Klaus Verscheure, and he also provided the music for the 2019 film Vers la bataille, the fourth film by Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux.

In 2017, the British Film Institute released Minute Bodies, a film he directed and scored with Christine Ott and Thomas Belhom of films by the naturalist F. Percy Smith.^[6]