12 Birthday gift ideas for your best friend who loves music

12 Birthday gift ideas for your best friend who loves music

1. A pixel game with a quiz of your inside jokes Our product

   oin turns your friendship into a small 2D pixel game with them as the main character, generated from an authorized photo, plus two custom NPCs made from authorized photos with consent. Two letters from you open and close it, a 5-question quiz about your inside jokes rewards flowers for correct answers, and the final level is set in Almaty, Kazakhstan; New York and Tokyo are coming soon. It plays in a browser with no install, is usually emailed within an hour and costs $29.90. See how it works →

2. A turntable

   An Audio-Technica LP60 if there is not one at home yet. Around $100-200.

3. Music lessons

   A course of guitar, piano or voice lessons. Around $40-120.

4. A portable speaker

   A JBL Flip, Marshall Emberton or Bose SoundLink. Around $90-180.

5. A vinyl record

   A pressing of an album that matters to you both, plus a turntable such as an Audio-Technica LP60 if needed. Around $25-200.

6. Band merchandise

   A tour tee or a signed print from a favourite band. Around $25-80.

7. A tea set

   A loose-leaf sampler with an infuser, or a premium tea from a specialist. Around $25-60.

8. A Dior fragrance

   A Dior fragrance, only if you know it is their scent. Around $90-180.

9. A birthday dinner

   A table booked at their favourite restaurant, with a small surprise at dessert. Around $60-200.

10. A custom photo puzzle

    A 1,000-piece puzzle made from a photo of you both. Around $20-50.

11. A playlist

    A song for every year or every memory, shared as a link with a few notes. It costs nothing.

12. A box of the year

    A shoebox of tickets, notes and small things collected over the past year. It costs little.

Buying for a music lover

Gear is a risk unless you know the setup, so experiences, records and lessons are safer than speakers or headphones you guess at.

Look at the playlist they share most often for clues.

Buying for your best friend

A best friend knows you well enough to spot a generic gift. Aim for something that refers to a joke, a trip or a rule only the two of you understand.

The more specific, the better, and it does not need to be expensive.

If the birthday is tomorrow

Lesson vouchers, table bookings and a personalized game can be arranged online the same day. An oin game is usually emailed within an hour of payment, so it can still be ready for the morning. Pair one with a handwritten card and they still have something to open.

Birthdays have a clock, so order anything that ships at least a week ahead and keep the digital gifts for the day itself. A card with a specific memory beats a long message.