James Loughran (born 30 June 1931 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish conductor.
Loughran is best known for his appearances at the Last Night of the Proms, in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1984. A task normally carried out by the BBC Symphony Orchestra's principal conductor, Loughran was chosen as the BBC SO had several non-British conductors as chief conductor, and the Last Night was seen as a British conductor's task. At the time, he was chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO), a position he had held for several years in the 1960's.