These Are the Best Gifts for Moms Who Love Music
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Mother’s Day is here and while your declarations of love can come from cards and candles and bouquets of dutifully-arranged blooms, consider springing for something a little more personal this year. Whether your mom is a casual music fan, has seen more concerts than she can count, or just needs help upgrading her audio gear, we’ve found ten gifts that will let mom hear “I Love You” in a whole new way.
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1. Sony Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Our pick for the best noise-cancelling headphones, these WH-1000XM5 headphones from Sony pack a ton of features into a sleek, travel-ready package. In addition to delivering crisp, reliable sound, Sony’s noise-cancelling technology automatically adjusts how much ambient sound is let in, depending on your environment. The headphones are also tuned to recognize subtle background noises, like voices or weather patterns, to block them out as well.
Mom will like the sophisticated, silver colorway, which is a nice step-up from the basic black headsets on the market. She can also pair the cups with Alexa to control music, calls and volume settings using just her voice. The headphones get 30 hours of battery life, even on Bluetooth. Need to power up quickly? Just ten minutes of charging (with an AC adapter) gets you up to five hours of playtime.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones
2. Headphone Bookends
Whether for home or the office, remind mom of her love for music with these whimsical headphone and microphone bookends. Made from a solid cold-cast resin material, the six-inch bookends are finished with a vintage-inspired lacquer for a unique, lived-in look. The bookends weigh just over 3.5 pounds, ensuring they’ll keep your books, records and magazines neatly stacked and organized without slipping off the surface.
Bellaa Headphone Bookends
3. Vinyl Record Subscription Box
Surprise mom with new music every month by signing her up for Cratejoy’s Vinyl Moon Records Club. The subscription box delivers one vinyl record each month that span different genres featuring up-and-coming artists. Along with the records, your mom will receive record jackets custom designed with deluxe features by visual artists as well.
This box is a great choice if your mom has more eclectic tastes, since the artists come from around the world, from genres spanning indie rock, pop, electronic, and more. The songs and artists are carefully selected by Vinyl Moon, so it’s not quite “random”, but you know the selections have been curated well.
Cratejoy has a number of other themed boxes available online for Mother’s Day. We spotted gift boxes for bakers, gardeners, foodies and fitness buffs alike. See the full offerings here.
Vinyl Records Club
4. Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Suitcase Turntable
Need something for mom to play her new record collection on? This vinyl-wrapped, vintage-inspired record player comes in multiple colors and lets mom play her favorite 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM records on the classic, belt-driven turntable. A built-in Bluetooth receiver lets her stream music wirelessly from her phone or laptop to the Victrola’s speakers too.
Set it on display in the living room or bedroom (the rubber “feet” will ensure a stable grip on any surface), or take the briefcase-styled record player to go with its built-in handles.
Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Suitcase
5. Reclaimed Instrument Bottle Openers
Handmade in Berkeley, California, these one-of-a-kind bottle openers are crafted from vintage piano keys and guitar frets, and are sure to spark conversation at your next dinner party or gathering. Artist Ward Wallau got his start repurposing old subway tokens into cufflinks, before turning his attention to reclaimed musical instruments.
Each bottle opener comes presented in a green flannel pouch with a certificate of authenticity. As they’re all made by hand from different instruments, no two pieces will be exactly the same, giving mom a true collector’s piece. Our suggestion: pick up one of these bottle openers and present it to mom with a bottle (or two) of her favorite wine.
Reclaimed Instrument Bottle Openers
6. Personalized LP Record
For a personalized gift she’ll be proud to display, order up a personalized LP from gifting site, UncommonGoods.com. Made from an upcycled vinyl LP and set in a floating frame, the record is customizable with a title, sub-heading and up to five songs (or five lines of messaging). Everything is produced to order and hand-assembled in the USA. The LP is available in a red and blue colorway, or a two-tone orange theme.
Personalized LP Record
7. The Beatles ‘Revolver Special Edition’ (5 CD Box Set)
If your mom is a music fan, there’s no better box set to get her than this 5-disc Special Edition box set of The Beatles’ Revolver. One of the best box sets of 2022, the limited-edition collection includes a 4-track EP and features a new mix by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, plus the original mono mix, 28 session takes and home demos. This set also comes with a 100-page book with a foreword by Paul McCartney, an essay by Questlove, detailed track notes, as well as tape boxes and extracts from Klaus Voormann’s graphic novel on the making of the cover art.
While many re-releases seek to amplify the music to appeal to a modern audience, reviewers say every track in the collection is faithful to its original master, reproducing every note in its most earnest, accurate form. Whether your mom is a music collector or just a casual fan, this is one of the most definitive collections of music available to purchase online today.
The Beatles Revolver Special Edition
8. Harman Kardon Neo Speaker
The Harman Kardon Neo takes the classic portable speaker and updates it with a contemporary, modular form reminiscent of a palm-sized wallet or avant-garde handbag.
The speaker fully charges up in just three hours and get up to 10 hours of playback time. Its Bluetooth technology picks up devices up to 30 feet away, and the echo-cancelling speakerphone ensures crystal-clear phone calls. Its IPX7 rating means it can handle a any splashes without worry, while the construction is at once lightweight and durable.
What we like: the discreet side buttons and sturdy carrying strap keep things clean and minimal.
Harman Kardon Neo Portable Speaker
9. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Third-Generation Earbuds
Whether your mom needs a pair of wireless earbuds for the gym, travel or her daily commute, upgrade her to a pair of these impeccably-designed Beoplay buds from Scandinavian electronics brand, Bang & Olufsen.
The company’s powerful E8 earbuds have been upgraded with a more comfortable, ergonomic fit, up to seven hours of wireless playtime, and more efficient, expertly-tuned sound. The buds are crafted from premium aluminum, while the included charging case is wrapped in leather and gives you a total of 35 hours of playtime on the go. This pink colorway adds a soft and chic finish that mom will be proud to wear and show off (other colors are available too).
What we like: these E8 earbuds are wireless charging-compatible, meaning you can set them on any Qi-enabled charging pad to power up alongside your tablet and phone.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Earbuds
10. KaraoKing Karaoke Machine
For the mom that sings along to every song on the radio, spring for a portable karaoke machine she can whip out and sing to her heart’s content. KaraoKing’s all-in-one set includes the machine itself with two wireless microphones, Bluetooth speaker, phone and tablet holder, plus a disco ball. Simply connect the mics to your machine via Bluetooth, and use the on-board equalization panel to boost the bass, adjust trebles, add effects and more.
You’ll always be able to find a song to sing too, since the the machine can sync to your device or to the radio using USB, AUX or Bluetooth.
KaraoKing Karaoke Machine
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