With Black Friday around the corner and Christmas right after, it might be time for you to consider buying a gift for that special someone you know that loves music. Don’t worry if you’re out of ideas because I have a list of gift ideas for music lovers.
Disclaimer: The images do not link to Amazon, but rather to their creators/publishers/resellers/google search results directly as I am a strong supporter of local businesses and that they need us more than ever to survive.
1. Under 50
Hip-Hop Poster
Rappers Delight is one of the greatest rap songs ever, and everybody has heard it at least once in their lifetime. For those who know the words and love that song, the cool people from Honeymoon Hotel designed a great poster featuring the first rhymes of the song. Perfect for your home decor, this is definitely a great gift for anyone listening to Rap.
The Autobiography of Miles Davis
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Jazz. Sure it is Miles Davis’ autobiography, but because he has been around so many Jazz musicians, the book serves as a subjective history of Jazz through Davis’ point of view.
DIY Synth kit by Techno Will Save Us
Technology Will Save Us is one of those companies that has a mission. Theirs is to empower kids through their products which need to be put together before being able to use them. They have a few gaming ones, as well as the music ones including the synth-wave kit pictured just above. Perfect for the younglings and adults alike wanting to learn electronic music and electronics.
IK Multimedia IRig 2
The IRig 2 by IK Multimedia is a little audio interface allowing you to plug in your guitar into your tablet or phone – compatible with all IOS devices and selected Android ones. Essentially this little thing lets you play your guitar into any apps that accept audio so that you can process it. There is a free app by IK Multimedia called Amplitude which gives you access to a lot of different amp simulations and effects that you play into your headphones or through a speaker. Essentially, this is the perfect gift if your loved one wants to play in headphones with different effects and amps.
Music related T-Shirts
T-Shirts are a great gift for music lovers because they are easy to purchase and can easily fit within anyone’s wardrobe. The Tees above are a selection of my favourites found on Everpress and related to music. The first one is designed by writer Riaz Phillips and references the Notting Hill Carnival, which is a massive musical and cultural event happening every last weekend of August in London. The second – a tribute to the Roland TR-808 drum machine – was designed by Human Studio for the British electronic record label CPU Records. The last one is a T-Shirt by British record label Soundway Records – they specialise in releasing compilations and albums of African, Caribbean, Latin and Asian music from the 1950s-80s, as well as contemporary world music.
2. Under 100
Ikea Eneby bluetooth speaker
The Eneby Ikea bluetooth speaker took everyone by surprise when it was first released in 2018. I personally still consider it to be a great speaker, considering the price and the minimalist and modern design. You can either go for the small 8″ version or the 12″ one in either black or white.
Pedal Crush by Kim Bjorn & Scott Harper
If your loved one plays guitar or bass, they will most certainly love this book. Published by Bjooks, Pedal Crush covers about 800 effects pedals, features interviews, tricks and tips and great photographs regarding great pedals. A must-have for any rock player or pedal head.
Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting by Eilon Paz
Here is a great gift for your relative or friend who collects records – since a few years or months. Published by Dust & Grooves, the book documents 130 collections and their proud owners with great photography, in-depth interviews and a foreword by the man behind the Wu-Tang sound: The RZA.
Midi controller
If whoever you know wants to start making music on a computer, look no further than buying them a midi controller. This will allow them to make music on a screen while feeling the touch of a real instrument. The great news about those is that they come with great software bundles allowing you to make music right there and then after installing the licensed software included with the controller. I personally recommend the Minilab MkII by Arturia for singer-songwriters, the Akai MPK25 Mk3 for beatmakers and the Novation LaunchKey Mini Mk3 for the electronic music producers.
3. Over 100
Record Player
Choosing a record player can be a very daunting task even more so when it’s a gift. However, if this is a turntable for someone wanting to get into vinyl, I would recommend a simple one like a PT-01 Scratch by Numark – if they like Hip-Hop and want to get into scratching at some point. The other option for anyone wanting to listen to records I’d suggest an L-85 by Lenco. Both are affordable, beginner-friendly, portable and built-in phono.
A masterclass with Herbie Hancock
I used to play the piano. Unfortunately, I forgot everything I’ve learned because I stopped practising. If I were to get back into learning how to play an instrument, I would rather have Herbie Hancock teach me how to play Jazz. After all, all the greats learned from watching others play and replicating and practice. However, if Jazz isn’t your jam, you can learn electric guitar from Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) or electronic music production from Deadmau5.
I hope that this list has helped you in finding a gift for the music lovers around you. I have avoided writing about music to buy as this will be very subjective to each one of you, and my best advice is to find out what bands and artists they love and if they’ve enjoyed listening to their latest albums. The other great gift you can make is to be there for them. Spending time together and paying attention to one another is the cheapest gift you can make – money wise – but the best one you can give as it creates bond and memories, which can not be traded or broken.
✌🏾