A Last Minute Gift Guide
Here are 9 gifts that you can pull together quickly.
When it comes to last-minute shopping, I find it’s best to keep it simple. While elaborate gifts are wonderful to receive, they require a lot of preparation. Instead of thinking through everything you could’ve gifted someone, work with what’s accessible. This doesn’t mean you have to shell out cash on meaningless junk; it just means it’s time to strategize. Personally, I like dividing gifts into three buckets: practicality, abundance, and sentiment. Practical gifts are the easiest grab, abundant items are fun to open (and capitalistic, yes, I know), and sentimental presents, well, who doesn’t like a little mush?
You can apply these categories to any interest, but let’s focus on something universal: music. Below, you’ll find nine options—three per category—that will satisfy any music lover without stressing you out in the process.
Practical Gifts
Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Everyone needs a portable speaker, but most people (me) don’t have one. I’m willing to bet someone on your list still puts their phone in a cup to amplify the sound. Get them an upgrade!
Books
Do you remember when a book was like $8-$10? Sadly, those days are gone; now, having an at-home library is a luxury. The only bright side is that gifting books has more oomph than it used to. If your recipient loves music, then you’re in luck—there are a ton of options to choose from. Alex Van Halen, Jojo, and Eve released memoirs. Meanwhile, NPR music critic Ann Powers wrote a book about Joni Mitchell's life, and music journalist Annie Zaleski wrote a book dissecting Taylor Swift’s discography. I’d spring for Quest Love’s Hip Hop is History, but you really can’t go wrong.
Supplies
If you’re buying gifts for a musician, help replenish their supplies. Everyone has something they need but avoid purchasing. For me, that item is socks. For a guitarist, it might be picks or amp chords. Pianists need page clips. Conductors need batons. Drum majors need a whistle (Reddit approves this one). The key here is to think about what the recipient uses most often. Figure that out, then replenish their stock. These gifts tend to be the least expensive, so you can pair them with something else on this list or get the item engraved for a personal touch.
Abundant Gifts
Spare Headphones
Who doesn’t need an extra set of headphones? Personally, I’d swing for two or three pairs of wired earbuds instead of a fancy Bluetooth option—but hey, if you’ve got it like that, don’t let me stop you. Either way, make sure to grab them a headphone case for storage, and if they’re extra forgetful (like me), toss in an air tag, too.
Masterclass
Three years ago, I was gifted a masterclass subscription, and it’s still one of the best presents I’ve ever received. I took Shonda Rhimes' screenwriting course and loved it. Since then, the platform has added a ton of music classes to its repertoire. You can take a performance course with John Legend, a singing class with Christina Aguilera, a songwriting course with St.Vincent, and more. If you know a budding musician, this is the perfect gift, and at just $5 a month (it’s typically $10, but they’re running a sale), it won’t break the bank.
Rolling Stone Subscription
Rolling Stone is one of the few publications that still makes 12 print issues a year. Their latest cover star is Timothée Chalamet to promote his new Bob Dylan biopic (which he’s rumored to be very good in). If your recipient likes TimmyTim, you could grab them a copy or do some digging and find an older issue featuring their favorite artist. Bonus points if you include a yearly subscription and ship it to their house. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Sentimental Gifts
Vinyl Album
You’ve got two options here. You can grab a copy of their favorite musician’s album, or if they like finding new artists, you can go rogue and pick a few people you think they would like. Since this gift is a bit retro, it allows the recipient to be fully immersed in the music. There are no skips on vinyl! If you’re in a pinch, shopping at Amazon and Target is always a safe bet. But if you have time to browse and want to save a little money, try to find a record shop. The best ones will have modern options and usually a discount bin with fun oldies.
Framed Tour Poster
Here’s a tip—skip the artist website and head to Etsy. I love original merchandise, but we don’t have time for snail mail. On Etsy, you can support an independent artist and get a piece of art emailed to you as a digital file. Then, all you have to do is print it out (hit up Walgreens; the photo lab is always on sale), frame it, and voila! You’ve got the perfect gift.
Concert Tickets
This one will cost you, but there’s nothing better than live music. Gift your loved one two tickets to an artist they’d like to see, and you can enjoy the show together. Tickets are hard to package, so have some fun wrapping them! Personally, I’d print them out, put them in a small box, and then wrap the smaller box within a bigger box. Make them work for it!