Some notable sessions include work with John Lennon,[2] Herbie Mann,[3] Sarah McLachlan, Paula Cole, Stevie Nicks, Pink Floyd, Robbie Robertson, Paul Simon, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Joan Armatrading, Tom Waits, Buddy Rich, The Roches, Todd Rundgren, Seal, Warren Zevon, Bryan Ferry, Laurie Anderson, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Gibonni, Chuck Mangione and Jean-Pierre Ferland.

He has toured with artists including Paul Simon (with whom he appeared in the 1980 film One-Trick Pony), Gary Burton, James Taylor, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Peter Frampton, Tim Finn, Richie Sambora, Ivano Fossati,[4] Claudio Baglioni and Lawrence Gowan.

In 2011, Levin ranked #2 behind John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin in the "20 Most Underrated Bass Guitarists" in Paste magazine.

[citation needed] In 1970, Levin moved to New York City, joining a band called Aha, the Attack of the Green Slime Beast, with Don Preston of The Mothers of Invention.

In 1976, Levin helped create the lush textures on Andy Pratt's Resolution album, which featured numerous notable musicians including Arif Mardin, Andy Newmark, Hugh McDonald, Luther Vandross, and Levin's frequent rhythm section partner Steve Gadd.

He had met Gabriel through producer Bob Ezrin with whom Levin had recorded Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare and Lou Reed's Berlin.

In 1978, Levin moved to Woodstock, New York, to join the band L'Image, which included his old friend Steve Gadd as well as Mike Mainieri and Warren Bernhardt.

This would lead Levin to become a member of the 1981–1984 incarnation of King Crimson, along with Fripp, guitarist/vocalist Adrian Belew, and drummer Bill Bruford.

Levin recorded four studio albums as part of King Crimson: Discipline (1981), Beat (1982), Three of a Perfect Pair (1984) and THRAK (1995), all critically acclaimed.

In 1987, Levin played the bass and Chapman Stick parts on the Pink Floyd album A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

There have also been two CDs of material released under the name "Liquid Trio Experiment"; the first composed of studio jams from sessions without Petrucci (Spontaneous Combustion), released for the band's tenth anniversary, and a live recording from a 2008 Chicago show where Rudess's equipment failed and the other three covered for it with a nearly hour-long improvisation (When the Keyboard Breaks).

At the end of 2003 Trey Gunn left King Crimson and Levin rejoined as the bassist, although the band was only active for a handful of rehearsals at that time.

In 2008, Levin joined King Crimson's 40th Anniversary Tour, in a lineup including Fripp, Belew, Mastelotto, and Harrison.

[9] In 2009 Levin reunited with his band from 1978, L'Image, featuring Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt, David Spinozza, and Steve Gadd.

The group performed at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, toured Japan, and released the album L'Image 2.0.

In 2024, Levin and former King Crimson member Adrian Belew announced the creation of the supergroup Beat, which includes guitarist Steve Vai and drummer Danny Carey.

[13] In September 2024, Levin released the solo album Bringing It Down to the Bass, featuring guest appearances with many of his former bandmates and collaborators.

[14] Many artists have cited Levin as an influence or have expressed their admiration for him, including Les Claypool of Primus,[15] Colin Hodgkinson, Nick Beggs,[16] Al Barrow of Magnum,[17] Dan Briggs of Between the Buried and Me,[18] Zach Cooper of Coheed and Cambria[19] and Jonathan Hischke of Dot Hacker and El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez.