Klipsch The One Plus Premium Bluetooth Speaker System
Klipsch has been around for almost 80 years, making high quality audio products and they’ve kept up with modern technologies including Bluetooth, as is evidenced by this wireless 2.1 stereo system. Featuring two 2.25″ full range drivers and a 4.5″ high excursion woofer, the speaker has a 40 foot range and can crank out 103db of sound. Plus it looks like something Don Draper would have on his desk. ($234.99)
Last Rites by Ozzy Osbourne
Last Rites is the shocking, bitterly hilarious, never-before-told story of Ozzy’s descent into hell. Along the way, he reflects on his extraordinary life and career, including his marriage to wife Sharon, as well as his reflections on what it took for him to get back onstage for the triumphant Back to the Beginning concert, streamed around the world, where Ozzy reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for the final time. ($20.98)
Joni’s Jazz by Joni Mitchell
From the AllMusic review: “The sound of Joni’s Jazz is warm, detailed, and full throughout. In addition to the music, the box contains a book-style notes and photos that recall the design of the one from the 2014 box set Love Has Many Faces. Both formats share a 2022 cover photo of Mitchell, Hancock, and Shorter, to whom this set is dedicated. Also included are a biographical/historical essay by Mitchell, notes by Hancock, Vince Ditrich, and songwriter David Wilcox, and a CBC interview with Shorter about his extensive live and studio work with her. Joni’s Jazz functions as a kind of sublime playlist, providing a stellar grounding of her work in folk, rock, and pop, while almost constantly reflecting jazz’s musical vocabulary and influence.” ($47.81 on CD, $153.53 on vinyl)
Big Fudge Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit
Record collecting and vinyl overall has become increasingly popular in the past decade, but an overlooked item in any budding audiophile’s arsenal is a decent cleaning kit. This stocking stuffer includes an ultra-soft velvet record brush, cleaning liquid, stylus brush, all packed into an unobtrusive storage pouch. Someone on your list keeps their records in horrible shape. Help them help themselves. ($19.99)
The Hours Are Long, But the Pay Is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music by Rob Miller
The legendary Chicago record label Bloodshot was born out of a desperate necessity to publish the music that Rob Miller loved and knew there was an audience for. This brand new release goes through the trials and tribulations of running an upstart label and establishing the “insurgent country” subgenre. Bloodshot put out records by The Old 97’s, Whiskeytown, Robbie Fulks, Andre Williams, Alejandro Escovedo, Neko Case, Graham Parker, The Bottle Rockets, Justin Townes Earle, and dozens of other bands, and the book gives an insider’s look into how the Chicago sarsage got made. ($24.95 paperback)
Ernie Ball Musician’s Tool Kit
Every guitarist you know has a random handful of tools in a variety of places. The screwdriver is at the bottom of their gig bag, the wire clippers were moved to the kitchen junk drawer after the Science Fair project, and the allen wrenches are scattered all over the back of the van. Get them this kit that has everything contained in one place, plus some wipes and a ruler for some reason. No matter what kind of music they play (country or western), they’ll appreciate the opportunity to lose these items all over again from scratch. ($44.99)
Celebrity Prayer Candle
Holy moly. If someone on your list needs a little light in their lives, maybe pick up a kooky prayer candle with their favorite artist on there. Maybe they don’t like Lana Del Rey, but they might want to worship at the altar of Prince (honestly, who doesn’t), or Benson Boone (no backflips please, this is a flaming object) or even the post-millenial odd couple, Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. (between $20 and $30)
Heart, Life, Music by Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney has sold 105 million albums, holds Billboard’s record for Most Country No. 1 hits, will enter the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, and now has written a bestseller. Chesney “aw-shucks”es his way through his philosophies on life, music, creativity, the industry, and his run-ins with folks like George Jones and Jimmy Buffett. Somebody on your list is a big country fan and this recent release may be the perfect thing to unwrap under the tree. ($21.12 hardcover)
Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII by Pink Floyd
From the AllMusic review: “Historically, Pompeii falls at a significant hinge point in Pink Floyd’s career. By the time they set up among the deserted ruins of the ancient Roman amphitheater outside Naples, they were in many ways still an undefined entity. Their output after Syd Barrett’s 1968 departure was exploratory, often thrillingly so, but they had yet to find the sense of cohesion and polish that would mark their catalog from Dark Side forward. And that’s a big part of Pompeii’s charm, both on screen and disc.” ($32.99 on CD, $62.99 on vinyl)
Alternative for the Masses: The ’90s Alt-Rock Revolution by Greg Prato
Frequent AllMusic contributor Greg Prato put together this oral history of the alternative nation featuring 60 new interviews conducted exclusively for the book—with an emphasis on the 1990–1995 peak period—including insights from renowned names like Ian MacKaye, Frank Black, Moby, Les Claypool, Butch Vig, Tanya Donnelly, Corey Glover and excerpts from one of the last interviews with Steve Albini. You can read an excerpt on AllMusic or pick it up for your cousin who keeps wearing that Nirvana t-shirt but can’t name any of their songs. ($25.49)
Tabletop Walnut Album Display Rack
Folks starting their vinyl obsession will appreciate this clean-looking LP rack, and those with thousands of records will finally get that pile of “recently listened” albums off the floor. This sturdy record holder sits on the counter and holds about 25-40 pieces apparently (I guess 40 cheap ’70s garage sale finds or 25 180 gram double-album reissues?) Your nephew has finally gotten rid of the cinderblocks-and-lumber bookshelf situation, now help him get rid of the Ikea milk crate. ($59.99)
The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window, 1956-1963 by Bob Dylan
From the AllMusic review: “Beginning with an acetate of teenage Bobby Zimmerman playing “Let the Good Times Roll” with friends in a St. Paul music shop in 1956 and closing with Dylan’s triumphant Carnegie Hall concert in October 1963, Through the Open Window brings together artifacts from most of the major events of his life in music. There are primal home recordings of Dylan playing for his friends, early New York gigs at the Gaslight Cafe and Gerde’s Folk City, his first major concert at the Carnegie Chapter Hall in November 1961, outtakes from his first three albums, his session work as a harmonica player (including one track with Harry Belafonte), radio appearances, an intimate 1962 show at a Montreal coffeehouse, his participation in several political events (including the 1963 March on Washington), and highlights from fabled sets at the Newport Folk Festival and New York’s Town Hall.” ($149.99 on CD)
The Uncool: A Memoir by Cameron Crowe
Eagles’ guitarist Glenn Frey reportedly uttered the “Look, just make us look cool” line to Cameron Crowe that made its way onscreen in Crowe’s thinly veiled autobiographical film Almost Famous. His 2025 memoir promises tons of behind-the-pen-and-paper stories. Hear it first hand from the man who interviewed Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Elton John, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and the Who with a warm and honest voice. ($24.50 hardcover)
Clear Vinyl Record Sleeves
Another subtle but appreciated gift for a music fan is this packet of LP sleeves. The recipient will appreciate being able to store their vinyl in these transparent vinyl sleeves to keep dust off and protect their album covers as their little sister borrows their Joan Jett records and ends up spilling boba tea EVERYWHERE. Give the gift of shrink wrap this holiday season. ($23.95)
JBL Boombox 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
We’ve long been a fan of JBL’s bluetooth speakers. The sound quality, durability, and battery life are top notch, especially for the price point. The really nice thing about the JBL system is that you can link multiple units together (either in stereo or what they call “Party Mode” which is the fanciest way to explain mono sound that I’ve ever heard). This particular unit is perfect for outdoor spaces, and the 24 hours of battery life means that the recipient of this gift can listen to the entire audiobook of “Washington: A Life” by Ron Chernow in one long sitting at poolside. ($349.95)
Talk to Me: Conversations With Ace Frehley by Greg Prato
In a truly heartbreaking turn of events, this year we lost Ace Frehley, the lovable and fiery Kiss guitarist. To celebrate the life and career of the Spaceman, Greg Prato compiled the many times he interviewed Frehley over the years into a single book, covering a wide variety of topics (from his Kiss years through his solo career, his personal life, songwriting, his guitar playing and gear, and more). Check out this excerpt on AllMusic. ($24.99 hardcover)
Nebraska 82: Expanded Edition by Bruce Springsteen
From the AllMusic Review: “In 2025, Springsteen issued Nebraska ’82, an expanded edition of the album that, among other things, featured the first non-bootleg release of the scrapped electric versions of several of Nebraska’s songs. While fans will be thrilled to finally hear these tracks, the minimalist arrangements of “Nebraska” and “Mansion on the Hill” are fine but ultimately inferior attempts to build on the gloomy brilliance of the demos, and while the hard crack of “Atlantic City” and “Open All Night” are effective, the best of the electric tracks are songs that didn’t appear on Nebraska, hard-edged early drafts of “Born in the U.S.A.” and “Downbound Train.” The set also includes a disc of acoustic demos that mimic the sound of Nebraska but for the most part capture songs that were still finding their way, and a latter-day live recording of Springsteen performing Nebraska’s songs in a solo acoustic presentation. Ultimately, Nebraska ’82 shows Springsteen’s instinct to release the original cassette demos was the right choice, though this set is a fascinating and often impressive study of how it came to be.” ($172.95 on vinyl)
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