Gifts for Music Lovers: 12 Ideas That Aren't a Gift Card

Gifts for music lovers

Music fans are easy to buy for and easy to get wrong. The trap is buying them music - a record they already own, a band t-shirt in the wrong size, a playlist they'd have made better themselves.

The gifts that land are the ones that sit around the music: something on the wall, something on a jacket, something that makes listening better. Here are twelve, grouped by budget, with honest notes on what works.

We don't sell instruments or records - we make pin badges, prints, postcards and cards in house, printed in the UK. Everything below is an honest list, with our own bits only where they actually fit.

Pin badges and prints for music lovers

Enamel pin badges, designed in house and printed in the UK.

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Under £15

  • An enamel pin badge for a jacket, gig bag or lanyard. It's the cheapest way to signal taste, and it survives being worn every day for years.
  • A lyric print in A5 or A4. One line from the song that means something to them beats a band poster, because nobody else has it for the same reason.
  • A record cleaning cloth and brush. Dull, used constantly, and the sort of thing people never buy themselves.
  • A set of music postcards to pin above a desk. Cheap wall art that can be swapped whenever the mood changes.

£15 to £40

  • A framed A3 lyric or album-style print for above a desk or sofa. Buy the frame too - an unframed print stays in its tube for a year.
  • A month or three of a streaming subscription, gifted as a code rather than added to your own account.
  • A decent pair of in-ear headphones for commuting. Not the flagship pair - the ones they won't panic about losing.
  • A ticket to a small local gig. Lower stakes than a stadium show and far more likely to become a story.

£40 and up

  • A gig or festival ticket for a band they've actually mentioned in the last six months.
  • A turntable upgrade: a new cartridge or stylus does more for sound than a new deck.
  • A wireless speaker for the kitchen, which is where most music actually gets played.
  • A music lesson or a few sessions on an instrument they keep saying they'd like to try.

What to avoid

  • Buying them a record. Unless you've seen their shelves this week, assume they own it.
  • Band merch in a guessed size. Vouchers for the band's own store work better.
  • Novelty items shaped like instruments. They get one laugh and a shelf.
  • A playlist as the whole gift. Lovely as a card insert, thin on its own.

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How to write it so it lands

  • Check their shelf or their streaming profile before buying anything with a track listing on it.
  • Frame the print. A tube in a cupboard isn't a present.
  • If you're gifting a ticket, gift the travel too - it's the bit that stops people going.
  • One specific thing beats a hamper of four vaguely musical objects.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What is a good cheap gift for a music lover?

An enamel pin badge or an A5 lyric print. Both sit under £15, both are personal if you pick the right band or line, and neither duplicates something they already own.

What should you not buy a music lover?

Records and band t-shirts, unless you have seen their collection or know their size. Both are the gifts most likely to be quietly returned.

Are gig tickets a good present?

Yes, if the band is one they've talked about recently and the date is realistic for them. Print the details and put them in a card so there is something to open.

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