Daniel Cavanagh (born 6 October 1972) is an English guitarist and singer who formed the British band Anathema in 1990 with his brother Vincent Cavanagh. He is the band's principal songwriter, a role he had previously shared with bassist Duncan Patterson until Patterson's departure in 1998.

Cavanagh has been involved in other projects including Leafblade, an acoustic & Celtic rock band, (guitars and vocals), and Antimatter, the former band of ex-Anathema member Duncan Patterson. He also played guitar on the album In the Mushroom with Lid. Cavanagh also provided vocals on an album by French post rockers Spherical Minds and was a guest on the album Pure Air by Agua de Annique, providing vocals and guitar on "The Blowers Daughter".

Cavanagh was raised in Anfield, Liverpool, in a working-class family. He has mentioned that Dire Straits and in particular Mark Knopfler were his first musical influences, and along with Queen were responsible for leading the young Cavanagh towards learning guitar. The seed was cemented in 1985 with the Live Aid concert and this is an event that Cavanagh still mentions as being what he regards one of the finest moments in the history of music and of mankind. During his teenage years, Cavanagh discovered Iron Maiden who alongside bands like Metallica, Celtic Frost, Slayer, Bolt Thrower and later Paradise Lost, was a major influence in his interest in extreme metal.

Cavanagh has been praised for his ability to combine these left field influences gracefully into his own sound without alienating his core fanbase.

Drummer John Douglas left the band for a short time ahead of the recording and release of Alternative 4; he was replaced by Shaun Steels, formerly of Solstice and later of My Dying Bride. Alternative 4 was composed chiefly by Cavanagh and bassist Duncan Patterson, met generally positive reviews, and marked the transition of the band from gothic metal towards a more alternative rock/goth sound.

Disaster struck soon after the album release. First, the Cavanagh brothers tragically lost their mother; Duncan Patterson then left the band. Despite all of this the band decided to focus on the development of a new album. John Douglas rejoined the band in time to tour the album and it took only a year before "Judgement" was released. Judgement was again met with positive reviews with allmusic giving it four out of five stars.

Apart from Vincent Cavanagh's vocals, Lee Douglas, younger sister of drummer John, made her debut appearance on the album and was eventually installed as a member of the band. At this stage with Patterson gone, Cavanagh was in the spotlight as the driving musical force in the band and was rapidly being seen as a more influential figure in band's musical direction among the Anathema fans – affectionately known as Anathemaniacs.

2001 saw "A Fine Day to Exit" and a shift in sound by the band. With a music video and lead single in "Pressure", the album was met with mixed response. Yet the song "Temporary Peace" became an Anathema classic to be mentioned in the same breath as songs like "Deep" or "Empty". This album was notable in that it was the debut of Les Smith on keyboards. It was also the album where John Douglas became noticed as a songwriter of considerable importance for the band, as he remains to the present day.