The Best Gifts for Music-Lovers 2021

Music and cocktails are good, but have you tried making a cocktail to match the music? Let André and Tenaya Darlington help you out with their handy enchiridion on the art of pairing ballads and booze, anthems and alcohol, love songs with liquor. If you need to match songs to moods, the Darlingtons have you covered; if your tastes range beyond music produced in your lifetime, they’ll take you as far back as the 1950s. Enjoy a fantastic cocktail alongside some great music with one of the best men’s gifts of the year.

Speaking of pairing adult beverages with music, what happens late at night when you’ve had enough drinks at the karaoke bar? You embarrass yourself in front of strangers singing “9 to 5” off-key while slurring the lyrics. Spare your music geek at least part of the shame: Get ‘em one of these so they can mangle the classics from the comfort of their own home and in the company of friends.

Are you trying to stay within budget? Does your giftee already have a pair of Airpods? Do they appreciate a good retro design? It’s withering to think that an iPod can even be considered “retro” 20 years after they first went to market, but be that as it may, this accessory checks all the boxes for delighting music geeks who grew up in the era where Apple revolutionized the way we listen to music; it comes cheap, too, which, depending on your wallet, is a solid bonus.

And on the costly end of things: This. Most of us have WiFi-enabled speakers, and few of us have the funds to drop $1900 on a speaker just for the cool factor of animated lyrics, but oh, the cool factor is so cool. Credit where due – the price tag is colossal, but the sound quality is high and the product is unique, so if you have the proper funds and you want to impress, this is the one.

Ever gone out on a canoe and wished you had a soundtrack for your paddling? Do you hit the beach and long to listen to your favorite summer albums? Do you just like singing in the shower? That’s probably the best function for this Bluetooth speaker, because let’s face it, everyone likes to sing in the shower, but the waterproofing is just a perk: The speaker itself boasts terrific sound quality and volume, supported by a long battery life.

In 1994, Daniel J. Levitin discovered that, contrary to conventional wisdom, people typically remember songs in the right key even if they have no musical training to speak of; in the late 1970s, he helped facilitate the development and design of the first commercial subwoofer. This makes him uniquely qualified to break down why music matters to people. This Is Your Brain On Music is such a cool, insightful book that you might buy it for loved ones who aren’t obsessive music devotees, too.

Back to alcohol: There’s something enchanting about a glass harp, mostly because as easy as it looks to play, most of us will only ever make a sound like a cat being strangled if we try it ourselves. These stemmed glasses make things a little bit easier by marking notes on the glass; now you at least know the fill line for playing the notes on an A-major scale.

Much as music goes well with so many everyday and recreational activities, there are times when music is best experienced on its own terms. For those times, emphasize “experience” with a pair of headphones that mean business. Yes, this is pro-grade equipment meant for studio use first and foremost; it’s what you get for the person in your life who makes music either as a career or a side gig. But listening to music for pleasure deserves high fidelity, too.

If you’re looking for a solid entry-level turntable, it’s hard to do better than the U-Turn Audio Orbit. This simple yet sleek turntable offers great quality for the price point. And, as your record collection grows, you can update components like the platter, cartridge, and more.