Gift Ideas for Music Lovers
We've all got that family member or friend — or more than one — who can't stop talking about Pearl Jam on Facebook or posting daily about their commute jams on Instagram. We've got the friends who bring their guitars to every party and campfire sesh. The ones who make a playlist for every holiday and road trip. These gift ideas are for those music lovers who bring harmony and melody into our lives.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Perfect For: The Vinyl Enthusiast
$32 from Society6
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The background of this clock shows the spines of classic album covers, including those from musicians such as Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and the Kinks. The clock itself comes in two different frame material and clock hand color options.
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Perfect for: That Person Who's Been Wanting to Learn Guitar Forever
$10/month or $90/year from Fender Play
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If your music lover has been dying to turn into a music maker, they'll appreciate a Fender Play subscription, an online lesson service that'll help them master guitar, bass, or ukulele.
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Perfect for: Foodie-Focused Musicians
$14 on Amazon
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A meal of ZZ Chop and Fleetwood Mac and Cheese, anyone? Perhaps followed by a slice of Smashing Pumpkin Pie? This fun cookbook is filled with 30 recipes inspired by some of history's greatest musical acts, as well as super-fun illustrations to accompany each one.
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Perfect for: Fab Four Fanatics
$16 from Amazon
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If you know a super-fan of The Fab Four, this book, which contains handwritten drafts of more than 100 Beatles songs, would make a great gift. The Christian Science Monitor called it "A fascinating, intimate glimpse into the creative process behind some of the greatest pop songs ever written."
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Perfect for: Country Music Fans
$48 from Amazon
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This soundtrack — from Ken Burns' documentary covering the country music genre — features five full discs. Artists range from The Carter Family and Waylon, Willie, and Whitley to female country powerhouses such as Reba, Emmylou, and, of course, Dolly.
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Perfect for: Inventive Music Makers On the Go
$59 and up from Amazon
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These themed, pocket-sized synthesizers will help any aspiring music maker create and lock-in beats, effects, and more. Themes include rhythm, factory, arcade, robot, and a few others. Buyers seem to enjoy them, with one noting: "I've seen in a lot of the tutorials and demos that many consider this to be high-end amateur enthusiast to low-end professional-level equipment. I just know in the end I have a lot of fun playing with this."
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Perfect for: People Who Never Shut Up About Their Musical Journey
$15 from Amazon
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If your recipient has lived through a few decades, this gift — which many buyers call an apt gift for music lovers, and especially older music lovers — will help them "rediscover the special tunes that played during key moments" of their life.
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Perfect for: House Party People
$38 from Uncommon Goods
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This customizable doormat evokes the nostalgia of a bygone era, before music went almost completely digital.
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Perfect for: Live-Music Diehards
$14 from Uncommon Goods
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If you have a friend or family member who's rabidly committed to live shows, they'll love this book that acts like a photo album for their favorite musical experiences. The sleeves will fit a variety of ticket sizes, and there's space in the margin for notes on setlists, opening acts, and more.
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Perfect for: Pickers Born In Any Month
$25 from Uncommon Goods
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Got a picker in the family or friend circle? These gemstone-crafted picks are a small but lovely gift that any guitar player — be they veterans or just learning — will surely appreciate. Made in Tennessee.
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Perfect for: Orchestra Members & Musical Fashionistas
$16 and up from Amazon
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This super-soft lightweight scarf can be double-looped and comes in five colors.
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Perfect for: A Family of Music Lovers
$17 from Amazon
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If you've got a family full of music lovers you'd like to send a gift, this board game will keep them singing and thinking. Amazon buyers give it 4.5 stars and very enthusiastic reviews.
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Perfect for: Rock Journalist Wannabes
$17 from Amazon
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This books includes 100 musical history tales that will "astonish, bewilder, and stupefy" readers. Find out, for instance, about "the rock star who became an astrophysicist" or "the ballet that sparked a riot."
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Perfect for: Audio Snobs
$599 from Amazon
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If you've got a music lover you really want to spoil, a pair of these top-rated and Tech Radar-recommended over-the-ear headphones will have them giddy. If the price tag is a bit on the steep side, this less expensive model from the same maker is also highly rated by buyers.
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Perfect For: The Musically Adventurous
$23/month and up from Cratejoy
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If the music lover in your life has a turntable that he or she likes to spin old-school style, they'll love this subscription. Billed as a gift for the "musically curious and artistically adventurous," subscribers get a new vinyl album each month pressed with tunes from 10 up-and-coming artists, plus a custom-designed record jacket.
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Perfect for: Pint-Sized Budding Musicians
$79 and up from Loog Guitars
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If the music lover in your life is pint-sized, a Loog Guitar is going to make a pretty rockin' gift. Each instrument is designed for smaller hands and younger brains — three strings as opposed to six — and each purchase of a guitar comes bundled with flashcards, an app, and free live lessons via Zoom.
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Perfect for: Anyone Who Loves Music
$19 from Etsy
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We don't know a music lover alive who doesn't feel this way. Available in rock 'n' roll black (or gray or white) and five sizes, ranging from small to 2XL.
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Perfect for: The Music Lover Who Values Hi-Fi and Wi-Fi Equally
$449 and up from Amazon
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This vintage-inspired but app-controlled speaker can be customized to play music via FM or internet radio, Bluetooth, a streaming service such as Spotify, and more. It comes in four styles: hickory, walnut, piano black, and piano white.
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Perfect for: Slightly Less Picky Audio Snobs
$217 and up from Amazon
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If your music enthusiast is more of an earbuds person, CNET says this pair of Bluetooth 5.1-enabled earbuds provides "rich, detailed audio" that make them "arguably the best true wireless earbuds on the market today." They also have noise-canceling functionality and are available in white or black.
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Perfect for: Seriously Committed Guitar Players
$15 and up from Wear Your Music
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These minimalist, chic, and unisex bracelets, which come in a bunch of colors, are made from guitar strings. You can add a musically themed charm for around $5 to $7 to give this gift a little something extra.
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Perfect for: Aspiring Vinyl Collectors
$23 from Amazon
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This brand-new book comes straight from the marketing director at Carolina Soul, the Durham, North Carolina-based high-end record retailer. It "combines an engaging narrative and incisive analysis to reveal the joys and explain the complexities of the contemporary vinyl scene."
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Perfect for: Caffeinated Music Fans
$24 from Society6
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This 20-ounce, black-and-white travel mug has musically themed wraparound artwork, but with stainless steel construction and double-walled insulation, it'll also keep their coffee nice and hot.
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Perfect for: Home Ravers
$24 from Amazon
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These aren't just any LED strip lights — these will sync with a musical beat. They're also waterproof, come with a remote control, and include 20 colors and four music modes.
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Perfect for: Beer-Drinking Music Lovers
$22 and up from Amazon
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Who doesn't love to sip a little something while listening to a favorite playlist? This unique gift will no doubt make your recipient smile and give you a reputation as a stellar gift-giver.
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Perfect for: DIY Pickers
$23 from Amazon
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With this handy gadget, your favorite guitar player will never have to buy a pick again. This can instantly punch a pick from old credit or gift cards or any other thin piece of plastic. Or gift a set of custom strips with it.
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Perfect for: People Who Like Their Tunes With a Side of Booze
$22 from Amazon
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Paste Magazine called this the "Best Damn Drink/Music Book on the Planet" and reviewers give it 4.8 stars. If someone you know likes to sip a cocktail while listening to tunes, this gift is for them.
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$60 from Singing Machine
With this wireless microphone, Carpool Karaoke fans can recreate their favorite James Corden moments on their next road trip. It pairs with an FM station on a car's radio, and raucous roadtrippers can rock out for hours of fun and singing. With the latest 2.0 version, the mic's been given a boost with new voice changing effects, sound effects, and the option to add a second microphone for duets. Choose from either gold or rose gold.
