Gifts for Music Lovers, Whether They Listen, Collect or Play
By the Giftruly editorsUpdated 19 hand-picked ideas
Saying someone loves music tells you surprisingly little about what to buy them. One music lover lives in their headphones on the commute. Another spends Saturday mornings in record shops and owns more vinyl than shelf space. A third plays guitar most evenings and would rather have a new capo than a new album. They all love music, and they'd all be puzzled by each other's ideal gift.
So this guide is split the same way. It starts with the listener and better ways to hear music at home and on the go, moves on to the vinyl collector, then to the person who plays an instrument. There's a short run of small gifts that suit almost any music fan, and at the end, a few words on the gift many of them want most: a night out to hear it live.
If they mostly listen on the move, gifts for travelers has more on headphones and travel gear. For music lovers who also love gadgets, see gifts for tech lovers.
Know exactly who it's for?
Tell Truly about them in a sentence. You'll get ideas picked for them, each with a reason why.
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If you only read one list
For the listener
Most music fans listen through a phone speaker, cheap earbuds or a smart speaker in the kitchen, and they don't realize how much they're missing until they hear the same song on something better. These gifts close that gap.
You don't need to be an audio expert to choose well here. You just need to know where they listen most.
- Our favorite1
Powered Bookshelf Speakers
~$200
A pair of active speakers with the amplifier built in, so they plug straight into a turntable, TV or phone and fill a room with proper stereo sound. They're the biggest upgrade most people can make to how music sounds at home, and they take up less space than a full stereo. Look for a pair with a phono input if they own or want a record player, and make sure they have the shelf space.
- 2
Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones
~$250
For the person who listens on a train, a plane or in an open office, noise cancelling means they can hear the quiet parts of a song instead of turning it up to drown out the engine. It's a splurge, so it suits someone who listens daily. If they're particular about sound, wireless headphones you can also plug in with a cable are the more flexible choice.
- 3
High-Fidelity Concert Earplugs
~$30
Regular foam earplugs make a band sound like it's playing behind a wall. These use acoustic filters to turn the volume down evenly, so the music still sounds clear, just safer. For someone who goes to a lot of shows or clubs, they're one of the most thoughtful small gifts you can give, because ringing ears after a gig is a sign of damage that adds up.
- 4
Wooden Headphone Stand
~$25
Good over-ear headphones deserve somewhere to sit between listening sessions. A wooden stand keeps them off the desk clutter and looks handsome next to a stereo. It's an easy add-on if you're giving headphones, or a small stand-alone gift for someone who already owns a pair they love.
For the vinyl collector
Record collectors are particular, and buying them a record is riskier than it looks: they may already own it, or prefer a specific pressing. Gifts that care for, store and show off the collection are much safer, and they're the things collectors tend to put off buying for themselves.
- 5
Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit
~$25
A carbon-fiber brush, cleaning fluid and a cloth for removing dust before each play. Dust is what causes most pops and crackle, especially on used records from thrift stores and crate digging. It's a modest, useful gift that every collector needs and many replace regularly.
- 6
Vinyl Record Inner Sleeve and Outer Jacket Set
~$25
Anti-static inner sleeves replace the scratchy paper ones that come with many records, and clear outer jackets protect the cover art from shelf wear. Collectors who buy secondhand records go through these quickly. It's an unglamorous gift that a vinyl person will be quietly delighted to receive.
- 7
Wooden Vinyl Record Storage Crate
~$40
Records should be stored upright, not stacked flat, and a sturdy wooden crate does that while making the collection easy to flip through. It's a good fit for someone whose records are currently living in cardboard boxes or leaning against a wall. Check that it's sized for 12-inch LPs.
- 8
Vinyl Record Wall-Mount Display Shelves
~$35
Slim shelves that hold an album upright on the wall, cover facing out, so they can show off whatever's spinning this week. It's art they can change daily. A lovely gift for a collector who's proud of their sleeves and has a bare wall near the turntable.
- 9
Audiophile Turntable
~$300
A belt-driven turntable with a decent cartridge, for someone ready to move beyond a starter or suitcase player. Before buying, check whether their speakers or amplifier have a phono input; if not, choose a turntable with a built-in preamp so it can plug straight in. This is a big gift that suits a committed listener, not a passing interest.
For the one who plays
Musicians use small tools constantly and lose half of them. Check what instrument they play before choosing; guitar gifts suit guitarists, and the tuner and stand work for most players.
- 10~$15
Guitar Capo
Guitarists lose capos the way other people lose pens. Most suit steel-string acoustic and electric guitars; classical guitars need a flat capo.
Music Loverspractical - 11~$28
Music Practice Metronome and Tuner
A clip-on tuner and metronome in one. It works on guitar, ukulele, violin and more, and keeps practice in time.
Music Loverspractical - 12~$100
Guitar Looper Pedal
Records a chord progression and plays it back so they can solo over it. Many pedals ship without a power supply, so check.
Music Loversfun - 13~$25
Guitar Pick Punch
Presses a fresh pick out of a spent gift card or an old hotel key. Silly, useful, and players never run short again.
Music Loversfun - 14~$100
Portable Handheld Audio Recorder
Captures rehearsals and song ideas with much better sound than a phone. Good for bands and songwriters who want to hear themselves back.
Music LoversArtists & Crafterspractical - 15~$36
Portable Sheet Music Stand with Clip-On Light
A folding stand with a light for dim rooms and gigs. Suits players who read music, from piano students to orchestra members.
Music Loverspractical
Small gifts for any music fan
Inexpensive picks that don't depend on how someone listens or what they play. Good for stockings and office swaps.
16.How Music Works by David Byrne ~$20
The Talking Heads frontman on how rooms, technology and money shape the music we hear. A smart, readable book for curious fans.
17.Portable Bluetooth Cassette Player ~$55
For the person with a shoebox of old mixtapes. Plays tapes through modern wireless headphones, which feels gently absurd in a good way.
18.Bluetooth Shower Speaker ~$20
A small waterproof speaker for the morning playlist. Cheap, cheerful and used daily by anyone who sings in the shower.
19.Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone ~$25
A wireless mic with a built-in speaker. Best for the friend who already leads every singalong at parties.
The best music gift might be a night out
Ask a music lover what they'd most like and many will say tickets. Live music is where the hobby comes alive, and a gift that says "we're going to see them together" often means more than anything you can wrap. Find out who they've been playing on repeat, check tour dates, and buy from the venue or the official ticket seller for that show; resale sites can be legitimate, but fake and duplicate tickets are a real problem.
If big tours are out of budget, smaller options are just as good: a local jazz club, a symphony matinee, a festival day pass or a favorite band's smaller side project. For someone who plays, a few lessons with a good teacher can be a wonderful gift, especially for an adult who learned as a kid and drifted away. And for a collector, a gift card to their favorite independent record store lets them dig through the bins themselves, which is half of the pleasure.
Shop this guide by price
Under $25
$25–$50
$50–$100
A quick guide to music gifts
Work out whether they're mainly a listener, a collector or a player. The same budget buys very different gifts for each.
Don't guess at records or albums. Collectors care about specific pressings and often already own the obvious ones.
Check the instrument before buying any accessory. Guitar strings, for example, depend on the type of guitar and the gauge they like.
Protecting their hearing is a real gift for concertgoers and musicians. Good earplugs are cheap and widely overlooked.
For ideas tailored to their taste, describe them to our gift finder, including the music they love.
Music gift questions
What do you buy a music lover who has everything?
Tickets to a show, lessons, or a gift card to an independent record store are hard to beat. For gear, powered bookshelf speakers or a better turntable can transform how they listen at home, if they don't already have a good setup.
Is a record player a good gift?
For a casual listener, a simple all-in-one player is a fun gift. For a serious collector, choose a proper belt-driven turntable and make sure it can connect to their speakers, either with a built-in preamp or a phono input on the speakers.
What's a good gift for a guitar player?
Small practical things are always welcome: a capo, a clip-on tuner, a pick punch or a looper pedal. Avoid strings unless you know the type and gauge they use.
What are cheap gifts for music lovers?
High-fidelity concert earplugs, a record cleaning kit, a capo, a shower speaker or David Byrne's How Music Works all cost around $30 or less.