Here are some suggestions of giftable albums released this year:
U2- The Joshua Tree Super Deluxe Edition
$47.99 (was $59.98-- save 20%!) at Amazon.com
Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
$12.99 (was $14.98-- save 13%!) at Amazon.com
Radiohead – In Rainbows
$11.99 (was $13.98-- save 14%!) at Amazon.com
Bruce Springsteen – Magic
$9.99 (was $18.98-- save 47%!) at Amazon.com
Rihanna – Good Girl Gone Bad
$11.99 (was $13.98-- save 14%!) at Amazon.com
Alicia Keys – As I Am
$9.99 (was $18.98-- save 53%!) at Amazon.com
M.I.A.- Kala
$9.99 at Amazon.com
Timbaland – Timbaland Presents Shock Value
$13.98 at Amazon.com
Kanye West – Graduation
$10.97 (was $13.98-- save 22%!) at Amazon.com
50 Cent – Curtis
$12.97 (was $13.98-- save 7%!) at Amazon.com
Keith Urban – Greatest Hits
$9.99 (was $18.98-- save 47%!) at Amazon.com
Kenny Chesney – Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
$9.99 (was $18.98-- save 47%!) at Amazon.com
Carrie Underwood – Carnival Ride
$9.99 (was $18.97-- save 47%!) at Amazon.com
Matt Nathanson – Some Mad Hope
$10.97 (was $16.98-- save 35%!) at Amazon.com
Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
$9.97 (was $15.98-- save 38%!) at Amazon.com
The Shins – Wincing The Night Away
$9.97 (was $15.98-- save 38%!) at Amazon.com
Into The Wild - Eddie Vedder
$13.97 (was $18.98-- save 26%!) at Amazon.com
Guitar Hero III Soundtrack
$12.99 (was $13.98-- save 7%!) at Amazon.com
Grand Theft Auto Soundtracks
Price Varies at Amazon.com
Another problem with buying music for someone else is that people don't like to wait for their favorite artists' music. They buy it online as soon as it's released. But, some of my favorite songs have stripped down, acoustic versions, or live versions that seem to capture the song perfectly. There are so many cool versions of songs available to the public with a little digging.
AOL Sessions offers a live set of 5 or 6 songs and some of these versions are incredible. A few artists that have done AOL Sessions are: Linkin Park, Maroon 5, Michael Buble, Fergie, Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tim McGraw, John Mayer, and James Taylor. Personally, I am super partial to Keith Urban’s rendition of "You’ll Think of Me," but there is a little something for everyone. iTunes also does live sessions with artists like Paul Simon, Gloria Estefan, Black Eyed Peas, Bonnie Raitt, R.E.M., Jack Johnson and Sting.
Another place to find new renditions of songs is by checking out your local radio station's website. Santa Monica based KCRW has a series of compilation CDs that you can buy from their website featuring artists like David Gray, Ben Folds, Fiona Apple, and Franz Ferdinand. LA based Star 98.7 does a Star Lounge where they host artists to play their "lounge" and then put out a compilation CD of those performances. Availalble artists include Nelly Furtado, Pink, Patty Griffin, Mat Kearney, Rocco Delucca and Kelly Clarkson. Star Lounge CDs from past years are available on Amazon.com.
There are plenty of cool possibilities when gifting music, and half the fun is in the discovery. Happy listening!
Click on any linked text to link directly to where you can purchase that giftable music pick online. Don't miss any Pearl's Picks. Subscribe to Stiletto Jungle and get free updates by e-mail or RSS. Take Stiletto Jungle with you wherever you surf with the Stiletto Jungle Connect Toolbar featuring Google search.
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 | Pearl C. is the Stiletto Jungle Music Editor. Originally from the east coast, Pearl has called SoCal home for the past eight years. Currently based in glammy Los Angeles, Pearl plays amongst the stars as a digital diva for Interscope records. Pearl has a B.A. in English, a law degree, and a spot-on gift for finding the best party in town. |
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