VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE FOR MUSIC LOVERS

Valentine’s Day can sometimes feel like a broken record—roses, heart-shaped box of chocolates, dinner reservation, blah blah blah. But not this year! This Valentine’s Day will be different because you have the SMASH Valentine's Day Gift Guide for Music Lovers! Whether your Valentine lives for crate-digging at local record stores, obsessing over our city’s iconic music history, or dreaming of their next live show, this guide has you covered. Kiss the clichés goodbye and say hello to giving your music-loving Valentine a gift that resonates. 

FOR THE CRATE DIGGERS

BLANKET FORT LISTENING SESSION (FREE+): If you’re looking for a free low-stress gift, boy have we got the idea for you! Build a cozy, nostalgic blanket fort for a vinyl listening session of records that remind you of your beloved wax wizard! Nothing is better than spending an evening snuggled up with the one you love spinning records. 

TURNTABLE TUNE-UP ($15+): A cleaning kit and a fresh needle from a local record store will make your vinylhead’s collection sound better than ever. 

AUTOGRAPHED ANALOG ($25+): Pick up an autographed copy of your groove guru’s favorite record from eBay or hit up artists directly to purchase a signed vinyl; many will sign and ship a record to you for the same price as an unsigned version. 

PERSONAL PRESS ($80+): Take your mixtape to the next level with a one-of-a-kind vinyl of curated music! We did a little research, and PrintYourVinyl.com seems to have the most straightforward interface and transparent pricing, starting around $80 for a 7” vinyl. 

FOR THE SCENE SUPPORTER

HOMETOWN HEADBANG ($10+): Take your music-loving beloved to a local show for a Valentine’s Day date night, or snag tickets to an upcoming show you know they’d love. You can find a comprehensive list of upcoming local shows at Seattle.showlists.net.

SOUND SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP ($10+): For the music lover who isn’t one for receiving gifts, give the gift of giving with a SMASH Sound Society membership! Your tax-deductible monthly donation not only helps provide free healthcare for local musicians, but it also includes complimentary tickets to upcoming SMASH events, merch, a Sound Society members-only pin, a members-only presale period for the fall SMASH Benefit, and more! Check out all the perks at SMASHSeattle.org/sound-society. 

SINGING TELEGRAM ($100–$200): Forget the roses—this Valentine’s Day, send a musical surprise they’ll never forget! Whether it’s a romantic ballad, their favorite anthem, or something completely custom, a singing telegram is equal parts unexpected and unforgettable. You can use a service like Cameo or try reaching out directly to an artist to see if they’d be down to record a video singing telegram; if they are local, they might just do it in person!

FOR THE MUSIC HISTORIAN 

SOUND STORIES ($15–$30): A deep dive into Seattle’s rich music history is the perfect gift for the music lover passionate about the stories behind the sound. We recommend The Sound of Seattle: 101 Songs that Shaped a City by local musician and KEXP DJ Eva Walker and Daudi Abe’s Emerald Street: A History of Hip-Hop in Seattle. 

MUSIC MEMORABILIA ($20+):  Give the gift of nostalgia with a piece of thoughtfully selected music memorabilia. Not sure what to get? How about a framed concert poster from the year they were born, or a classic issue of The Rocket (there are loads of them on eBay)?  If you’ve got the budget, we recommend you splurge and have it professionally framed.