Music lovers can be surprisingly tricky to shop for.
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lovers → shop → ?
Whether they spend their weekends digging through crates at the record store, practicing guitar every night or simply can’t leave the house without headphones, music aficionados often already own the basics, and the gear they want next tends to be specific.
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they → spend → basics
A thoughtful gift can still hit the right note: an upgrade to their listening setup, something that helps them make music of their own or a fun accessory that celebrates their favorite artists.
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that → hit → artists
To help you find something they’ll actually use, I gathered gift ideas for music fans of all ages, including options for adults and kids.
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I → help → adults
I sourced items NBC Selected editors love, and I also pulled standout picks from popular brands we’ve covered before.
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we → source → brands
Below, you’ll find headphones and speakers, turntables, instruments, stocking stuffers and more.
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you → find → headphones
Best music gifts for adults
The AirPods 5 are a great gift for music lovers who listen on the go and pretty much anywhere else.
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who → listen → go
They have up to 1.5 times more noise cancellation than the previous generation, adaptive audio that adjusts to your surroundings and up to 22 hours of total battery life with the USB-C wireless charging case.
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that → have → case
NBC Selected senior editor Shalwah Evans, who received a pair from the brand, also says they fit more comfortably than previous models: “I was pleasantly surprised that these pods with no rubber eartip didn’t budge.”
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pods → receive → eartip
They support 24-bit hi-res audio and have a two-way speaker for richer sound, plus upgraded active noise cancellation to block out distractions.
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They → support → distractions
They’re also IP57-rated for dust and water resistance, and they come with interchangeable ear tips for a snug, comfortable fit.
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they → rat → fit
Guitar Center offers lessons for a wide range of instruments, including guitar (electric and acoustic), bass, drums, keyboard, and even voice, so your recipient can pick whichever one excites them most.
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one → offer → them
They also get to choose the day and time that fits their schedule and the instructor they like, making it easy to start playing.
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it → get → schedule
Just load the gift card with an amount you think makes sense to get them started — you can pick from one of the preset amounts up to $1,000 or put in a custom amount — then deliver it via email, text, Messenger or Whatsapp.
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you → load → email
The Soundcore Life Q30 headphones are a great budget-friendly gift for anyone who prefers over-ear headphones, with many of the features you’d find on pricier pairs.
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you → prefer → pairs
They have active noise cancellation, transparency mode, a folding design and a hard case for travel.
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They → have → travel
And you get all of this for well under $100.
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you → get → 100
Help a loved one bring their playlists everywhere with this portable speaker.
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one → help → speaker
The compact speaker has a built-in carabiner, so you can clip it to a backpack, belt loop or beach bag.
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you → have → backpack
It’s also IP67 dustproof and waterproof, gets up to 12 hours of battery life and can pair with other compatible JBL speakers for bigger sound.
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It → ’ → sound
Evans says that this was her favorite portable speaker until her husband clipped it to his golf bag and she never saw it again.
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she → say → it
“And just like that, it became his favorite portable speaker,” she says.
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she → become → that
This ticket stub organizer is a great pick for the sentimental people who never throw out a concert ticket.
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who → throw → ticket
The binder holds up to 80 tickets in 20 acid-free plastic pages, each with lined inserts where they can jot down memories from the show, like the setlist or who they went with.
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they → hold → who
A pocket inside the back cover stores programs and other keepsakes.
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pocket → store → programs
This Victrola suitcase record player is a fun, beginner-friendly pick for anyone just starting a vinyl collection.
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player → start → collection
The three-speed turntable plays 33, 45 and 78 RPM records through built-in stereo speakers, and you can also stream music from your phone via Bluetooth.
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you → play → Bluetooth
It packs up into a retro-style suitcase with a carrying handle, and it has a headphone jack for private listening.
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it → pack → listening
In “The Uncool,” Oscar-winning filmmaker Cameron Crowe looks back on his teenage years as a rock journalist, when he became Rolling Stone’s youngest-ever contributor at 15.
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he → win → 15
The memoir chronicles the real-life events that inspired “Almost Famous,” including his time with Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers and David Bowie, and also covers films like “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Jerry Maguire.”
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that → chronicle → High
The Echo Dot is an affordable way to fill a bedroom, office or dining room with music.
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Dot → fill → music
Just ask Alexa to play songs from streaming services like Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify, and the compact speaker delivers vibrant sound.
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speaker → ask → sound
It also works with Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded AI assistant, and can control compatible smart home devices.
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It → work → devices
These DuoMuo coasters look like tiny vinyl records, with retro album-style designs that make for a fun conversation starter when guests come over.
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guests → look → starter
The set of six comes with a whimsical holder shaped like a record player, so they double as decor on a coffee table, shelf or bar cart, even when they’re not in use.
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they → come → use
A StubHub gift card is an easy way to treat someone to live music.
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card → treat → music
Recipients can put it toward tickets to concerts, as well as sports games, theater and other live events, so they can pick a show they’re excited about.
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they → put → show
StubHub gift cards don’t expire, so there’s no pressure to use it before their favorite artist announces a tour.
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artist → expire → tour
Hitster is a music party game where players scan a card with the free Hitster app to play a song on Spotify, then guess when it was released and place it on their timeline.
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it → scan → timeline
The first to correctly place 10 songs wins.
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first → place → songs
…and 35 more, not listed.
The Aporia
