Music is the blood that pumps in Uproxx’s veins. It’s the reason we do what we do, the North Star that guides our entire worldview. And, if you’re an active reader of Uproxx or viewer of our content, you likely feel the same way. So, we’ve collected some of the best items someone like you, or us, would love to receive this year for the holidays. Take a look at our picks below, and a happy New Year to you and yours.
King Of All The Land: Mitski by Ebru Yildiz
Even if you don’t know the name Ebru Yildiz, you’ve undoubtedly seen her photos. She takes promo shots and official art of everyone from Interpol to Neko Case, and has even been featured on this very website. Her work is distinctive, playing with texture, shadow, and often incorporating black-and-white visuals for a stunning, dramatic effect.
Maybe her best-known work is a long-running collaboration with Mitski. Mitski writes the foreword for the collection, which features — clears throat — 109 duotone images presented across 144 pages plus six multi-page gatefolds and a hardbound cloth cover with two tip-in images and debossed type with clear foil. Mitski’s music is so singular and her public image is so adventurous that it makes Yildiz the perfect visual storyteller to bring her image to life, resulting in more than a photodocument, but rather an essential complement to Mitski’s beloved recorded music.
Price: $55
Get it here.
Show Tote
If you’ve been to a concert in the last several years, you’ve likely been through this process: go to the venue’s website, search for the specifics of what kind of bag you can bring in, and then hope that one of your own purses or clutches fits the bill. Hopefully, you don’t arrive and have to take your bag back to the car when rejected by security.
Show Tote is a line of bags created by a pair of concert enthusiasts. The idea is pretty straightforward — stylish bags in a compact size, including clear options to match venue mandates. There’s no reason that going to a concert means having to carry an ugly bag. To try it out, we took “The Handle” in rock n roll crinkle to a recent concert in Los Angeles and my wife was able to feel ready for the occasion with her ensemble and not have to worry about complying with hard-to-master venue specifications. They have a wide line of options sure to fit your own specific aesthetic. Show Tote even has a smart event filter, so you can plug in your venue/event to instantly see which bags are allowed.
Price: Varies
Get it here
Ghostnote
Imagine the coolest estate sale ever or an antique store curated by artists. You’ll be close to understanding Ghostnote, but still not quite. Ghostnote is a marketplace where music fans can purchase their own bit of musical history. As the company says, “Each item on Ghostnote is a genuine artifact from an artist’s creative world — something truly one-of-a-kind that was written, played, drawn, or worn during the act of creation.”
Among the cool stuff you can find: Reggie Watts’ glasses, original art from Portugal. The Man, and this truly insane concept of a synthesizer album from A Place To Bury Strangers. This is only the tip of the iceberg, and the platform has a handy page that tells you exactly which items will get to you ahead of the holidays.
Price: Varies
Get it here.
Lightboks
If you’ve read our gift guides in the past, you are likely familiar with Soundboks, the giant portable speaker to end all bluetooth speakers. I’ve used it to play music, as well as to screen movies, and it’s been a hit every time.
This year, they introduced a new product: Lightboks. You might have guessed what it is by the name, but Lightboks is anything but a boring old party light. It reacts to the music being played to elevate a karaoke night, a dance party, or just a vibey night with a special someone. Pair it with a Soundboks or let it just exist on its own with whatever sound system you already have. Either way, this is an ideal gift for the music lover in your life.
Price: $299
Get it here.
What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome — The Authorized Biography Of Justin Townes Earle by Jonathan Bernstein
Justin Townes Earle wasn’t the biggest artist or the most revered at the time of his passing in 2020 at the young age of 38, but the outpouring of grief and respect from the music community spoke volumes to how he was loved. The son of Steve Earle, the hope was that his story would mirror his father’s, a triumph of exercising demons. But that was not the case, and Rolling Stone editor Jonathan Bernstein tells the story of Earle with the full cooperation of his estate. The resulting book is an ideal gift for the alt-country fan in your life, preserving the legacy of a young artist who hardly had time to build one, but did so nonetheless.
Price: $30
Get it here.
Guts World Tour Book
The Guts era might have ended for Olivia Rodrigo, but it can live forever on your bookshelf with the Guts World Tour book. Commemorating one of the most iconic touring runs in recent memory, this collection is packed with photos from Paula Busnovetsky, Miles Leavitt, Jesse DeFlorio, Rahul Bhatt, and Jess Gleeson across 136 pages. Everything about this offering is well-considered, from the die-cut slipcase to the fold-out poster, trading cards and sticker sheets. Rodrigo has always treated her young fans with the care they deserve, and this book is an ideal gift that truly adds to the relationship between the artist and her fans.
Price: $38
Get it here.
Simon Raymonde — In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor And Me
Simon Raymonde might be best known as part of the Cocteau Twins, one of the most iconic and resonant groups of the ’80s and ’90s. In addition, he also led the group This Mortal Coil and started the record label Bella Union, which released music from the likes of Beach House, Dirty Three, and countless others. Needless to say, his experience in the music industry has led to quite an interesting life story, and his recent autobiography shares those stories with the world. An ideal gift for the indie music fan in your life, or anyone that enjoys memoirs from a life as a creative.
Price: $17.99 paperback
Joey Yu x Bandcamp Clubs Exclusive T-Shirt
We’d be remiss not to mention Bandcamp in any holiday gift guide. The platform promises more than 80 percent of profit from merch sales goes directly into the artist’s pocket, which is about as good as it gets if supporting artists is a key driver in your music-related shopping. There are countless items to get on Bandcamp, from vinyl to sweaters to anything in between. We love this t-shirt featuring artwork by illustrator Joey Yu that was used to launch Bandcamp Clubs. The shirt’s art represents Bandcamp’s mission to make music discovery human, as well as how music provides a connective tissue to other people.
Price: $25
Beats Solo 4 — Jennie Special Edition
Beats headphones is no stranger to collabs, but this year’s must-buy is a release with Blackpink star Jennie. But it is important to note that this release is more a nod to her solo era for the quite-good record Ruby. The headphones feature a matte red base, “R” and “J” details (for Ruby and Jennie, obvs), and an embellished UltraPlush ear cushion with symbols inspired by the megastar. Even the packaging is thoughtful and fan-focused, while the headphones are finished with an attachable red ribbon tied into a bow. Not to mention the fact that they’re still Beats, which mean industry-best sounds and functionality. The bad news is that these are currently sold out, but the good news is that a little digging can reveal secondary market availability, without too much of a markup in price.
Price: $199
Get other Beats Solo 4 options here.
Dude. Your Team Socks
When he’s not playing drums for The Black Keys, Patrick Carney has another endeavor that’s been occupying his time: Dude. Your Team Socks. The brand has a range of great-looking styles, but their latest is a collaboration with American Trench. The latter brand is rooted in American tradition, made fully in the USA using homegrown fabric. This makes for an ideal marriage in the form of the Retro Sock, with its classic striped look and breathable, cushioned fit. Coming in royal, pink, green, and red, these socks are a useful holiday gift with a cool music connection.
Price: $15
Get them here.
The Beatles Anthology (25th Anniversary Edition)
An ultimate Beatles gift turns 25 this year, and it’s ready to delight a new generation. The Beatles Anthology comes as a 25th anniversary paperback, featuring interviews with Paul, George, and Ringo made specifically for the book and archival interviews with John to flesh out the content. The book notably contains 1,300 images and photographs from the band’s personal archives, giving the most complete and personal account of their history. With a new docuseries and a re-release of the Beatles Anthology album, it truly is Beatles season.
Price: $50
Get it here.
Guitar Center
Whether you have just a few bucks or several grand, Guitar Center remains a one-stop shop for holiday music gifting. And while the shop is known for their musical instruments, we wanted to highlight a couple of other items that require less of an investment.
We love the Hello Kitty x Fender t-shirt collab seen above. The iconic character can be seen holding the legendary guitar in a small front logo while the back gives a large-font reveal of the collab. This comes from a greater collection that features everything from guitar straps to fuzz pedals. But if you’re looking for something more practical, we recommend the record-cleaning kit from Audio-Technica. Audio-Technica is known for their record players, but most people don’t give their vinyl collection proper care, so this is a thoughtful item that people might not know they need.
Price: $36 and $32 respectively
Festival Shoes from JD Sports
At Uproxx, we spend a lot of time at music festivals. And if you are a music fan under 30, chances are that you do, too. And while we can recommend tons of items that make fest life better, none might be more important than what you put on your feet. Except for sunscreen.
JD Sports has tons of options, but we really love the New Balance 1000s for a men’s fit and Asics Gels for women’s footwear. Both look cute enough to not signal that they’re comfort-first choices. But that’s the crucial thing, because both are ideal for being on your feet and walking 20,000 steps in a day. We just recommend breaking them in BEFORE you start seeing bands, there is nothing worse than wearing new shoes at a music festival.
Price: $90 and $85 respectively
NFL x Golf Wang
We highlighted some of the best NFL collabs and lines this year in our Style Gift Guide, but as we were finalizing our lists, this venture with Tyler, The Creator’s Golf Wang came in off the top rope. Among items in the collection are vintage jerseys, polo shirts, and letterman jackets. It’s all designed with an eye to fashion, ensuring that you’ll look on trend while supporting your favorite team.
Price: Varies
Get it here.
Daniel Johnston In the 20th Century
Daniel Johnston is one of the most singular artists of my lifetime, and this collection of 16 remastered cassette tapes is the definitive way to experience his music. The set is restored by longtime collaborator Kramer (Shimmy-Disc) and lives in a hand-crafted wooden case, screen-printed with Daniel’s artwork, hand-numbered in a limited edition of 999. It also includes a booklet with liner notes by Marc Masters (a great writer) and an exclusive mystery toy from the New York-based art toy gallery Clutter in conjunction with Lunch Lady Studios. That’s a mouthful and speaks to how meticulously this whole project was put together. If you want to splurge for the music friend in your life, this is a great option.
Price: $200
Get it here.
Ksubi
Ksubi has had an incredible year, from making merch with Rolling Loud to a recent drop with New York street-artist Faust. They’ve become one of our favorite streetwear brand, with sturdy craftsmanship that ensures their denim will last beyond the current fashion season and their hoodies will not lose their color or texture. Our favorite items we tried this year are the Serpent Ekcess Hoodie in faded black, which has a substantial weight to it that denotes quality fabric, along with embroidered back logo so you can wear the brand proudly. And for a brand known for denim, we have to recommend something in this class: The Doubledown Jacket in mekanik grey. The oversized, baggy fit while barely hitting the waste feels very contemporary in its fit, ensuring you look on trend while wearing quality that’s made for the long haul.
Price: $240 and $320 respectively.
source https://uproxx.com/music/music-holiday-gift-guide-2025/
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