There are countless gift options for the music lover in your life, whether it’s a high-end speaker, a swanky vinyl storage solution or some quality guitar picks. Variety has curated this list of the best music books, merchandise and listening devices as well as instruments and gear for both beginners and veteran musicians so you can surprise your audiophile friend or guitar-playing relative with the perfect present this holiday season. Shop our curated list below: For vinyl-curious music lovers, the Audio-Technica AT-LP60x-BK is a great starter record player. At $200, it’s a budget-friendly option that will hold up better than the $50 ones, while still offering a similar sound quality to many high-end turntables. It doesn’t have built-in speakers, so you will need to connect it with headphones or another listening device (we have plenty of options down below). Check out more of the best record players to buy this year here. Cameron Crowe wrote and directed the film “Almost Famous,” based on his experiences as a 15-year-old music journalist who embedded with rock legends like Led Zeppelin and David Bowie. With “The Memoir,” Crowe strips down the Hollywood version and tells the true stories of his youth that led him to become Rolling Stone’s youngest-ever contributor, a movie director and an Oscar-winning screenwriter. Fans of classic rock will marvel at Crowe’s access and descriptions of a bygone era in music. Check out more celebrity memoirs here. If you’re looking for a more elevated speaker to pair with your record player or put on your bookshelf, the Sonos 100 is a beautifully designed and versatile option. Buy two for a complete stereo setup, or connect them with a soundbar for surround sound. Have you ever wanted to play your electric guitar outside your home, but you didn’t want to lug around an amplifier? Fender’s Mustang Micro Plus is like an amp you can fit in your pocket. The compact device allows you to plug headphones into your guitar and jam on the go, with dozens of amp sounds and effects. It even has Bluetooth connectivity, meaning you could plug in and shred with no cables. Fifty years after the original album’s release, Pink Floyd‘s classic “Wish You Were Here” album will get 50th anniversary editions that include a greater wealth of unreleased material, collectively dubbed “Wish You Were Here 50.” The new sets arrives Dec. 12, just in time for holiday gifting. You can pre-order the set here. “Riptide” anyone? For those who want to learn an instrument but don’t know where to start, a ukulele is a good entryway. Fender has a handful of stylish options that keep the instrument’s approachable charm and beachy vibe intact. At $120, the Avalon blows a souvenir shop uke out of the water while still being affordable compared to other professional models. For bigger gifts for more advanced musicians, consider one of Fender’s Player II guitars. The iconic axe house has upgraded its most reliable models the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazzmaster, Jaguar and more with improved hardware, fresh colors and more. If you have a loved one who saw the Oasis reunion tour and won’t stop talking about it, get them one of these gorgeous prints by Sonic Editions. The shots of Liam and Noel Gallagher come in different sizes, and you can buy them pre-fitted in a black or white frame. Questlove’s latest music history lesson is a chronicling of the first half-century of hip-hop. Of course, as a co-founder of the Roots, the Oscar and Grammy winner plays a role in hip-hop history, so the book functions as both a record and a personal reflection, full of stories no one else could tell. Marshall’s Heston 60 soundbar is perfect companion device for any television or stereo system. It’s sleek and smaller than many alternatives, still providing crisp and punchy audio that clears up dialogue and deepens the bass. Mount it on the wall and turn any living room into a home theater. This gift is for the guitarist with a vintage soul or for the guitarist who is always losing picks. This collectible tin is packed with 12 tortoiseshell picks of assorted gauges. And according to Fender, they’re stamped with the brand’s logo using original dyes from the 1960s. For the guitar player who likes to clean and restring their own instrument, this musician’s tool kit from Ernie Ball has all the necessary tools, including a microfiber polish cloth, heavy duty string cutter, peg wilder, screwdriver, wonder wipes and more. This 38″ record stand from Symbol is a beautiful and understated piece of furniture for any audiophile looking to store their turntable, stereo and vinyl collection. The item can hold up to 265 LPs, includes a stereo shelf and features a vibration-isolated turntable platform. “Night People,” which is subtitled “How to Be a DJ in ’90s New York City,” is the memoir of seven-time Grammy winner Mark Ronson. Before he was the decorated producer of songs like “Uptown Funk” and “Valerie,” Ronson was a teenaged crate-digging club rat in Downtown Manhattan. The book has been acquired by Warner Bros., so read it before it becomes a movie. The Akai MPK Mini is the perfect device for both professional musicians and wannabe producers or someone casually interested in making beats on their computer. With 25 keys, eight drum pads and eight assignable knobs, there are endless sounds and songs to be made on the digital instrument. It even comes with a software, providing everything one needs to start making music.
https://variety.com/2025/music/news/best-gifts-for-music-lovers-shop-online-1236583351/
A Definitive Music Lover’s Gift Guide: Record Players, Books, Speakers, Vinyl and More
