Well, the holidays are rapidly approaching (or, if you’re Mariah Carey, they’ve already been here for weeks). December is right around the corner and as whatever special wintertime occasions you observe creep closer, it’s a good time to start thinking about buying gifts for loved ones. If you have music fans in your life, we have you covered with our 2021 music gift guide.
You want some slick new clothes? There here. How about a fancy vinyl record or two? We got ’em. Maybe you want some, ahem, “mood enhancers” to improve your music-listening experience? Don’t sweat it. Whoever you’re buying for, our guide has something they’re sure to love, so if you want some prime gift inspo, keep reading.
Akashic Books’ Lyricpop Series
Price: varies
If there’s a youngster in your life you want to raise on the words of your favorite artists, Akashic has you covered with their LyricPop series of books, which adapt song lyrics into adorable children’s books. They released a nice variety of new books this summer: The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) (lyrics by Paul Simon), Dream Weaver (lyrics By Gary Wright), I Will Survive (lyrics By Dino Fekaris And Frederick J. Perren), Strawberry Swing (lyrics By Coldplay), and Where Is My Mind? (lyrics By Black Francis).
Get it here.
Extract Labs Pure CBD Oil Tincture
Price: varies
Really, this gift can be enjoyed by just about anybody, music fan or not, but some “chemical enhancement” has long been tied to both creating and enjoying music. Extract Labs has some new offerings that ought to serve you well, Pure CBD Isolate Tincture and Broad Spectrum Tincture. If you’re not well-versed in the world of tinctures, the Extract Labs store page has some useful information to help you figure out where might be a good place to start.
Get it here.
Wander + Ivy Single-Serve Wine
Price: varies
If CBD isn’t your thing, Wander + Ivy has a compelling proposition for you: single-serve wine bottles. No more dealing with bulky open bottles here, as these smaller portions feature wines from award-winning, family-owned vineyards from around the world, everything from Chardonnay to red wine to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Get it here.
Skullcandy Dime True Wireless Earbuds
Price: $24.99
Skullcandy has long been a leader in headphones and now their Dime True Wireless Earbuds are another fantastic option. With multiple colors available, these can look as bold or as understated as you’d like, and they boast features like a 12-hour battery life, noise cancelation, sweat and water resistance, and various sizes of ear gels to ensure you get the perfect fit.
Get it here.
The Beatles Guitar Straps By D’Addario
Price: varies
You may have heard about The Beatles and their status as a band that a lot of people enjoy. Well, if you have a McCartney/Lennon/Harrison/Starr stan in your life who does some playing of their own, D’Addario has a selection of Beatles guitar and bass straps available, including the simple but striking vegan Get Back strap pictured above, right in time for the new Disney+ film directed by Peter Jackson.
Get it here.
Sonos Roam
Price: $179
There are all kinds of portable speakers out there, but if you want one that’s both easy to carry around and comes from a trusted brand, Sonos has a good one for you. An advantage this has over many others is how many options there are for using and controlling it, as you can connect over Bluetooth, or you can hook it up to your WiFi and control it with your phone. If you’re an Apple user, you’ll also be happy to know the Sonos Roam is compatible with Apple Airplay.
Get it here.
Beats Fit Pro
Price: $199.99
You know what you’re getting with Beats: a quality pair of headphones. Their latest offering is perfect for those who have an earbud-shaped hole in their life. The Beats Fit Pro has an impressive 27-hour battery life, wingtips for a comfortable and secure fit, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ, and spatial audio with head tracking, making these perhaps the most advanced headphones in their class.
Get it here.
Nirvana’s Nevermind 30th Anniversary Reissue
Price: varies
Much has been made about the 30th-anniversary edition of Nirvana’s Nevermind, and truly, this is a must-have for Nirvana fans. There are a variety of editions, the beefiest of which comes with 8 LPs that feature the original album (newly remastered, of course), four full concerts, a 40-page hardcover book with unreleased photos, and other goodies. If physical music isn’t your thing, the band also has a bunch of new merch to coincide with the album’s anniversary.
Get it here.
Radiohead — Kid A Mnesia
Price: varies
Speaking of anniversary releases, Radiohead had a big one this year, although it’s pretty different from the Nirvana one. Kid A Mnesia, actually celebrates two albums, Kid A and Amnesiac, by collecting both albums as well as B-sides and unreleased tracks from the era. Again, if you’re not looking to buy a record/CD/tape, the gift-able merch offerings here are diverse, including everything from a paint-by-numbers set to holographic stickers.
Get it here.
DC x Black Sabbath Collection
Price: varies
Black Sabbath managed to cultivate one of the most recognizable aesthetics in music, and that applies to both their sound and visual branding. Now the group has teamed up with DC to celebrate that with a new collection that features everything from button-up shirts to the DC x Black Sabbath Manual High-Top Canvas Shoe, a highlight of the lot.
Get it here.
Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC Noise-Canceling Sport Earbuds
Price: $189
If you want to gift a deluxe audio experience, Adidas has you covered. The Z.N.E. 01 ANC wireless earbuds lets listeners switch between active noise canceling and an “awareness” mode and enjoy a customizable fit that promises all-day comfort. These have plenty of juice to get you through your next workout or commute, as each charge will get you 4.5 hours of playtime.
Get it here.
Vinyl Me, Please 3-Month Gift Membership
Price: $119
If you happen to follow our monthly round-ups of the best vinyl releases, Vinyl Me, Please is probably a familiar name since they’re usually all over our lists. They offer exclusive pressings of iconic albums, and if you have somebody in your life who would love to get in on this, VMP makes it easy to gift memberships that last three months or longer.
Get it here.
Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs
Price: $23.98
I’ve recommended earplugs in pretty much every music gift guide I’ve ever written, and for good reason: It’s easy to complain about hearing damage/loss as you get older, and it’s just about as easy to prevent it. Vibes offers a great inexpensive option to help with that, so whether you’re on the stage or in the audience (or you remember being impressed when you saw these on Shark Tank), these are an excellent stocking-stuffer and a must-have.
Get it here.
Dua Lipa Limited Edition Holiday Collection
Price: varies
If you’re looking to celebrate the holidays with Dua Lipa, it’s never been easier. This year, she launched her own holiday collection, and if you’re looking to get cozy, most of the gear your need is here (minus the hot chocolate, although there’s a mug to drink it from). You can hang a Lipa stocking over the fireplace, conceal your gifts in Lipa wrapping paper, and open them while donning some Lipa sweats.
Get it here.
Magic Oneohtrix Point Never Blu-Ray Edition
Price: $40
Oneohtrix Point Never raised his profile significantly over the past few years with his work on Uncut Gems and collaborations with The Weeknd, so now he has more fans who can get into the expansive Blu-ray edition of his latest album, 2020’s Magic Oneohtrix Point Never. This collectible pressing presents the album (along with four bonus tracks) in both stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and it also includes sixteen music videos and more.
Get it here.
Wolverine x Metallica Scholars 1000 Mile Axel Boot
Price: $400
If you or a loved one is in need of a pair of boots that’s both sturdy and shows off your dedication to one of the finest bands of the past few decades, the new Wolverine x Metallica collection has you covered. Furthermore, half of the sales from this collection “will benefit the Metallica Scholars Initiative, providing opportunities to students looking to build the future they want” through trade education, making this the gift that keeps on giving.
Get it here.
Lil Wayne — Tha Carter Singles Collection
Price: $200
Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter series is an iconic hip-hop institution, and now he’s collected the highlights all in one place. On Tha Carter Singles Collection, you get 19 of the finest songs from the series pressed on ten 7-inch records, as well as a booklet full of rare photos, two lithos, and brand new art.
Get it here.
Spice Girls — Spice (25th Anniversary) LPs
Price: $24.99
If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get a Spice (25th Anniversary) LP. This is an aesthetically delightful collection, as each member of the famed group gets their own monochromatic vinyl pressing. The worst part about this is it’s going to be hard to pick which version to pick up.
Get it here.
Songwriting Workshop With Robin Pecknold
Price: $120
If you have a songwriter in your life, you also have an opportunity to get them a unique experiential gift that could benefit them big time. Fleet Foxes leader Robin Pecknold recently announced that he’s hosting a songwriting workshop in a live online classroom setting. It runs for four sessions in January and February 2022, and School Of Song, who offers the class, notes, “People across all musical levels will be able to gain something from the course.”
Get it here.
Cameo
Price: varies
On a similar note, if you want to get somebody a personal experience but they’re not a musician, Cameo ought to work just fine. There are artists on the platform that ought to fill music fans of any age or style preference with glee when they get their custom video, from Petey to Bootsy Collins to Frankie Avalon to Kreayshawn to Dionne Warwick.
Get it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.