Well, we’re in the home stretch: the winter holidays are now a matter of weeks away. Hopefully, you’ve done some exemplary planning and all your gift-buying has been done for months now. If that’s not the case, no need to worry: We got you covered.
If there are any music fans in your life whose names haven’t yet been crossed off your shopping list, our rundown of gift ideas is a strong place to start. Whether they could use some new headphones, if they’re more of a reader, or if something offbeat would perk their ears up, there’s bound to be at least one winning option here.
So, let’s get into it.
Grateful Dead Dancing Care Bears Little Playmate 7 Qt Cooler
In terms of animals, this season is all about reindeer, but now’s a great time to give bears a look, because two of the most iconic ones ever have come together for a collaboration: the Care Bears and the Grateful Dead bears. They’ve united under the Igloo banner for a cooler that’s good for holding 7 quarts (or up to nine cans) and comes in a lovely pink color.
Get it here.
Adidas RPT-02 SOL Headphones
There are almost too many options when it comes to headphones, but this offering from Adidas is particularly compelling, especially for eco-conscious consumers. In addition to sounding great and being sweat- and splash-proof, the RPT-02 SOL headphones are actually powered by light and built in part from 87 percent recycled plastics.
Get it here.
Metallica x Stranger Things Merch
Metallica had one of 2022’s biggest musical moments thanks to a memorable placement in Stranger Things, and now fans who want to spend a bit more time in Hawkins can. The band and Netflix teamed up for some exclusive merch based on the show and the band, including a version of the now-iconic Hellfire Club shirt that’s been given a taste of Metallica.
Get it here.
Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless Earbuds
Skullcandy has become an industry leader in headphones and they sure have packed a lot of features into their new earbuds. Aside from the sound and build quality customers have come to expect, the Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology inside offers hands-free voice control, making these a supreme pick for the more active among us. If you tend to misplace things, Skullcandy thought of that, too, as they have Tile technology built in.
Get it here.
Cameo
Cameo has changed the game when it comes to giving everyday folks access to famous people. There is a rich roster of musicians on the platform, too, so if somebody in your life would appreciate a personalized video message from a musical favorite, options include Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips, Kenny G, Bootsy Collins, Royce Da 5’9″, Gata, Alice Cooper, Dave Mustaine, Lupe Fiasco, and almost countless others.
Get it here.
Rolling Stones 60th Anniversary Collections
Soon, there will be no doubt about what luggage on the airport carousel is yours. That is, if you get an item or two from the new Rolling Stones anniversary collection, which has their iconic mouth logo on everything from rolling luggage to duffel bags to backpacks, all of which will bring a distinct aesthetic to travel adventures.
Loop Experience Earplugs
If the constant flow of stories about musicians losing their hearing hasn’t made this clear: It’s important to protect your ears at concerts (and other loud environments). Ear plugs are a concert/festival must-have and Loop earplugs offer a volume reduction of 18 decibels while keeping the sound natural. So, if you or a loved one don’t already have a hearing protection solution, this is your sign to get one (specifically, this one).
Get it here.
Ultimate Ears UE Drops
There are almost as many earbud/headphone manufacturers out there as there are songs to listen to through their products. When it comes to high-end choices, though, Ultimate Ears has an offering worth considering. The UE Drops are about as bespoke as you can get, too: The buying process includes taking a custom impression of your ear, meaning the earbuds you end up with should fit better than any pair you’ve ever worn before.
Get it here.
33 1/3: Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly book
The esteemed 33 1/3 series has been pumping out high-quality and super-focused books about classic albums for years now. This year, author Sequoia Maner took on Kendrick Lamar’s iconic album To Pimp A Butterfly, making this the perfect opportunity to get granular and learn about one of this era’s defining releases. And if that one doesn’t pique your interest, maybe one of the other books from this series will, which range from Cat Power to Duran Duran.
Get it here.
“Beats x Kim” Beats Fit Pro Earbuds
Beats is both one of the trendiest and most respected brand in headphones, and this year, they teamed up with Kim Kardashian for a line of flesh-colored earbuds that look wonderfully understated. Celebrity partnership aside, these have three listening modes (Active Noise Cancelling, Transparency Mode, and Adaptive EQ) and the Apple H1 chip, which allows for “automatic switching, audio sharing (with another pair of Beats headphones or Apple AirPods), and ‘Hey Siri.’”
Get it here.
Meta Quest 2 and Beat Saber
If you haven’t gotten on board yet, here’s some news: VR is here. Furthermore, Beat Saber is one of the most engaging music experiences on the platform and the game introduces new content all the time: In just the past few months, song packs from The Weeknd and Lizzo were added, bringing some of today’s biggest bops to the saber-swinging realm.
Get it here.
Snoop Doggie Doggs
It’s hard to believe this wasn’t already a thing, but in November, Snoop Dogg finally introduced a line of dog products, Snoop Doggie Doggs. The focus here is dog clothes, including jerseys, hoodies, shirts, bandanas, collars, harnesses, leashes, and tricked-out water/food bowls. There’s even a boom box chew toy that plays Snoop’s signature “bow wow wow, yippie yo, yippie yay” line from his 1993 classic “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?.”
Get it here.
A Creative’s Guide To Living An Artistic Life: Words + Music In 6 Seconds Deck
As a creative person, ruts happen. Grammy-winning artist/songwriter/producer Dan Wilson (of Semisonic) has something to help with those trying times, though: a 75-card deck of cards that feature advice about creativity, collaborating, and more. If an artist finds themselves stuck, they can pick a random card or flip through the deck, letting the wisdom contained within start them on the path to their next hit.
Get it here.
Harry Styles — Harry’s House Vinyl
It could be argued that Harry Styles had a bigger year than anybody else in music, with “As It Was” spending 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, making it one of the longest-running chart-toppers ever. With that in mind, Harry’s House is a definite vinyl buy, especially if you opt for one of the exclusive colors (orange and seaglass green) available on his webstore.
Get it here.
For The Birds: The Birdsong Project
The Birdsong Project is massive — For The Birds: The Birdsong Project is a five-volume benefit compilation consisting of 242 tracks by everybody from Jeff Tweedy to Damon Albarn to Tilda Swinton. This literally is for the birds, by the way, as the project benefits the National Audubon Society.
Get it here.
Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 Vinyl Box Set
If your vinyl library doesn’t have any Blondie in it, this box set is probably the best possible place to start your collection off right. It has the band’s first six albums — Blondie, Plastic Letters, Parallel Lines, Eat To The Beat, Autoamerican, and The Hunter — as well as four additional LPs that feature outakes, B-sides, and other exclusive rarities that add up to 124 total studio tracks.
Get it here.
Eilish No. 2 Eau de Parfum
Billie Eilish has been in the perfume game for a bit now, and her releases stand out due to the eye-catching bust container they come in. As for her latest fragrance, it’s described, “An alluring aroma which opens with the freshness of Italian bergamot and apple blossom. It flows into a woody, earthy spiciness of papyrus and black pepper with a contrast of wild wet poppy flowers. A base of woody palo santo and ebony are expertly wrapped in a metallic, nuanced veil of skin musk.”
Get it here.
Vinyl Me, Please
Time and time again, Vinyl Me, Please comes through when it comes to exclusive, appealing vinyl pressings. Pictured above is a gorgeous reissue of Interpol’s Turn On The Bright Lights (grab it here if that’s what you want), but their entire inventory is worth perusing to find the right album for your giftee. They also offer different options for gift memberships, so sending a loved one on that journey could be the way to go and the gift that keeps on giving.
Get it here.
Questlove — Music Is History book
Questlove is an established author at this point, and while The Roots drummer’s Music Is History book actually came out in 2021, it received some attention recently when the audiobook version earned a 2023 Grammy nomination in the Best Audio Book, Narration, And Storytelling Recording category. As for what the book’s about, it serves as a fascinating look at both Questlove’s encyclopedic mind and music history more broadly, via an exploration of one track per year from 1971 to 2021.
Get it here.
