Ah yes, the music lover. This person can simultaneously be the easiest and most difficult person to buy for this holiday season. Many will think to just buy that person the latest CD of their favourite band. Chances are they already own it or, more likely, they have it downloaded on their computer. It's a nice gesture but often it can fall a little short, so here are six alternatives to truly make a music lover's holiday a groovy one.

MUSIC STREAMING

Buying someone their favourite album is fine and dandy but why stop there? Why not buy them nearly every album ever released? By getting your favourite song snob a music streaming subscription you put the entire world of music at their fingertips. Although it's currently impossible to gift a Spotify subscription in Canada, you can gift a subscription to Google Play or Apple Music instead. If you head into any Walmart, Best Buy, Shoppers or Loblaws, you will find gift cards for Google Play and iTunes. Both of these work in the same fashion, allowing a person to sign up for as many months as the cards can pay for. While I have no experience with Apple Music, the bonus of an iTunes gift card is that if there's an album that they really want to download, they can spend the gift card in the iTunes store instead of on a subscription.

VINYL

Vinyl records have always held a special place in the hearts of music aficionados, though the price tags can sometimes hinder someone from growing their collection. It shouldn't be too difficult to find out what album your music lover has wanted to get on vinyl, and lucky for us London has two amazing record shops.

Most people's first choice is Grooves records, which just moved to their new location at 236 Dundas Street. The store boasts a knowledgeable group of staff and an ever-changing selection of music from rare vintage releases to new local albums. If you're looking for a more eclectic collection in a shop with a dozen pinball machines in the basement, head over to Speed City Records located at 294 Springbank Drive. The size of their collection is matched only by the knowledge of their staff.

RECORD PLAYER

While most people have a decent collection of vinyl it's surprising how many of these enthusiasts don't actually own a record player. While finding a decent player will run you in the neighborhood of $150 to $300, you will go down as a superhero for years to come. It's important to avoid the record players on sale at Urban Outfitters.

While the cool design and cheap price tag can be enticing, they often have cheap parts and are known to fail often. New quality record players often come with USB ports allowing music lovers to digitize their collections and preserve their music indefinitely. If you are restricted to the downtown core, check out Target Hi Fi located at 144 Dundas Street, but if you're looking for frequent sales it might be worth checking out 2001 Audio Video in Wellington Southdale Shopping Centre, 979 Wellington Road.

CONCERT TICKETS

With so many great venues in London, it's likely that your music lover's favourite band is heading to town in the next year. Having been on the receiving end of a concert ticket gift, I can assure you there is no better feeling in the world than holding that ticket in your hand. There is something to think about however when gifting tickets and that is, should you buy one or two? Going alone to a concert can be a bit of a drag so if it's in the budget why don't you get yourself a ticket and go see that band together.

MERCH, NOVELTIES, KNICK-KNACKS AND LITERATURE

Also known as HMV, the above title is a more accurate name for their stores as of late. With the decline in CD sales, HMV has taken a direction earlier paved by Sunrise Records. The store is filled with merchandise, novelties and books from artists, movies and TV shows alike. People often overlook the vast wealth of musical literature in the world and these stores have a great variety from satire to autobiographies. If you are looking for something more specific however, I would suggest heading to the music section of an Indigo or Chapters bookstore. In the interest of saving money, buying online from Indigo or Chapters usually saves a person 50 per cent of the retail price.

BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

Most people are constantly on the go these days, so it's important to have a speaker that can do just the same. Best Buy offers a fantastic selection of wireless speakers from portable ones you can throw in a backpack, to high end speakers for around the house. Sure, you can walk around listening to your phone's crummy built-in speaker but having a Bluetooth can make any get-together a party.