Written by Ashley Paskill
Buying gifts for the holidays can be tough, especially if you do not know exactly what to get your loved ones. If you have a music lover, you are in luck! A bunch of musicians recently released new music, books, and more!
Books
This year was a big year for musicians releasing books, particularly memoirs. Reading about what musicians have experienced throughout the course of their careers can be fascinating, especially for the music lovers on your list.
Mariah Carey, the singer known for “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” released her book, “The Meaning Of Mariah Carey,” back in September. The book documents her battles with various issues, including racism, in her career.
Lenny Kravitz’s book, “Let Love Rule,” tells his story of how he found music as a release despite the tough things he faced at home and school growing up. It documents his growth as he went on to become a musician as well as a producer and songwriter.
Peter Frampton released his book, “Do You Feel Like I Do?” this fall. The book tells about how he got started in music and documents his extensive career. He even talks about his time with the band, Humble Pie.
New Music
For those in your life who still like physical copies of albums, you can buy a CD or vinyl copy of their favorite musician’s music. Several musicians released music this year, including Rachel Dodson, Aaron Taos, the Rolling Stones, Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, and Keith Urban. However, if you know a person that listens to mostly digital music but they are getting into vinyl’s, you can buy them the vinyl versions of their favorite music. While you may be able to find CDs or vinyl’s at chain stores, consider buying them at a local record store or directly from the artist.
Musician Merch
Many musicians have merchandise for sale on their websites. Ask the person you are shopping for who their favorite musician is and buy them a piece of merch from that musician. Again, buying the merch from the musician directly helps them out.
Gift Cards
If you are not sure what the person likes in terms of their musical tastes, getting them a gift card allows them to buy what they like.
One option, especially during the pandemic, is buying them “Notes” on StageIt. StageIt is an online platform where musicians can hold virtual concerts that viewers can watch from the comfort of their homes. You can gift “Notes,” which is how the virtual concert tickets are purchased. You will just need to know the recipient’s StageIt username. 10 notes are equal to $1, and each concert has its own price.
Other gift cards to consider are iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora Radio.
