14 Great Last-Minute Gifts for Music Lovers 2023
Music obsessives can be a tricky lot to shop for. For instance: Attempting to go record shopping for something they don’t already have should only happen after a thorough consultation with their collection. (Though, might we suggest one of our 50 favorite albums of 2023?) But with only a couple weeks left to find something, we’ve got our own suggestions for some last minute gifts for music lovers, from books to games and vinyl accessories.
Also check out our other gift guides to the best record players, headphones, speakers, box sets and music merch.
Note: When you buy something through our affiliate links, Treble receives a commission. All items included are independently chosen and evaluated by our editors.
A Record of My Vinyl Journal
($16)
Record collecting becomes an obsession pretty quickly. Certainly, the fun of it is in the listening, but let’s not overlook the organizing, cataloguing, grading, obsessive note-taking, etc. This journal is ideal for just such a collector, with 192 pages to document your collection, including pressing info, condition, and any other notes worth including. Plus it also features tear-out wishlists and grading info. Just keep in mind that if the recipient has a Questlove or Fred Schneider scale collection, they might need more than one of these.
Curepedia: An A-Z of The Cure
($35)
You don’t have to be a goth from back in the day to appreciate this massive tome, though that certainly helps. Given how wildly successful The Cure’s summer tour was (and at fair prices to fans), Robert Smith’s come out of 2023 being the year’s MVP, and the band’s body of work remains as relevant and enduring as ever. This 400-plus-page volume on the legendary group delves into their classic songs, literary inspirations, unexpected cultural connections and more, it presents an unusual but extensive compilation of history about the band that belongs on any music lover’s coffee table.
Game That Song
($20)
As a music trivia champion myself, I can attest firsthand to how competitive music games can be. But they’re also super fun, and Game That Song is proof of that, a name-that-tune game perfect for groups of friends or family. Once you start playing it’s easy to pick up, and there are also expansion packs if you want to go more specific—’80s, ’90s and 2000s. Unless you just want to shuffle one giant deck and put the whole thing on shuffle.
Love and Victory Tattoo Flash 45 Adaptor
($15)
When you’re switching between LPs and 7-inches, it helps to have an adaptor to fill in the spindle gaps. Love and Victory has a line of fun, colorful versions, including this playful adaptor adorned with flash tattoo designs like you might see on the wall of your favorite ink shop.
Now Playing Stand
($38)
It’s a simple thing, but there’s a reason so many listeners seek it out. A display stand for your records while they’re playing, this metal stand works either freestanding or wall mounted to showcase album jackets. It makes for a great conversation piece, especially when you have company—whether they like the music or simply had the artwork catch their eye.
Numark PT01 USB
($129)
In addition to the home turntable, it’s fun to have the option of vinyl spins on the go. The Numark PT01 portable turntable is a great value for the price—affordable but with a great deal of versatility. It plays at three different speeds (33, 45 and 78) and features rotary knob controls for pitch, tone and volume, plus it can be run on batteries, just in case the idea of an AC adapter didn’t make it portable enough. Plus the stylus is replaceable, and the player will fit in just about any shoulder bag, which makes it a much more versatile and modern upgrade to the more vintage portable turntable concept.
Ode to Hip-Hop by Kiana Fitzgerald
($25)
Music fans all over celebrated hip-hop’s 50th anniversary this summer—including right here on this very website. But for a proper printed document of some of the most significant albums in its history, look no further than Kiana Fitzgerald’s own history, honoring rap music through groundbreaking albums by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, OutKast, 2Pac, N.W.A., Salt ‘N Pepa, Wu-Tang Clan, Missy Elliott and more. A comprehensive tour through some of hip-hop’s greatest moments, it’ll remind you why you fell in love with this music in the first place.
Selektor Vinyl LP Bag
($45)
Every collector needs a good bag to transport their vinyl. Whether it’s to a DJ gig, or simply bringing a great haul back from the record store. After all, why chance that precious cargo with a paper bag? The Selektor bag is water resistant and holds up to 30 records, sturdy enough to hold up over time and even protects your records on rainy days. An essential for frequent shoppers or spinners.
Spin Clean Record Washer
($75)
The thing about listening to records is that a medium defined by its grooves is going to get a little grimy. Dust and dirt can build up over time, and that only distracts from the overall listening experience. The Spin Clean Record Washer has been the go-to cleaning system for years, and it works wonders in clearing out dust from grooves. Watch how fast the vinyl lover in your life (maybe you) becomes obsessed with cleaning the whole catalog.
Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs
($29)
A good set of earplugs is a must for frequent showgoers, especially those who plan to keep up their regular routine of seeing live music. Vibes earplugs reduce noise up to 15 decibels, helping to protect the ears against damage, yet they don’t cut out everything, instead offering a better live music experience by allowing you to hear the show without putting your long-term hearing at risk. Plus they’re easy to use, comfortable and fit snugly in the ear.
Victrola Storage Crate
Once those records come home, however, they need a place to be housed. Whether a permanent home or just a staging area for the listening queue, Victrola’s wooden storage crate makes for a charming storage solution with vintage aesthetics—stamped with the Victrola name on the side. It holds around 50 records, and best of all, it requires no tools for assembly.
We Are Rewind Portable Cassette Player
($159)
Vinyl might still get most of the attention, but cassettes made a comeback in the past decade and have stuck around, in part because of nostalgia, but likewise for their convenience and as a relatively inexpensive analog alternative (Shameless plug: We’ll make you mixtapes when you become a Patreon subscriber!). In the process, more and better cassette players have hit the market, like this stylish and modern counterpart to the Walkman, which comes in three different colors, fits in your pocket and even features a record function (and input jack) if you want to make mixtapes of your own. Yet unlike that portable cassette player you had back in high school, it connects to headphones and wireless speakers via Bluetooth.
World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music by Jeff Tweedy
($23)
Jeff Tweedy’s already penned two books, including a more traditional memoir, but in his latest, he shares more concise and endlessly entertaining passages on some of his favorite songs, whether delving into classic rock with Deep Purple or more recent hits from Rosalía. Tweedy’s become a rock hero of his own as the frontman of Wilco over the past quarter century, but his takes on these songs are infectious, honest and make for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Turntable Lab Gift Card
(Various amounts)
When all else fails, why not let them choose what they want? Turntable Lab gift cards come in various increments, from $10 to $500, so you can help your friend or loved one get some new listening material or even some gear to play it.
