Exclaim! Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Music Merch and Books of 2023

BY Exclaim! StaffPublished Dec 4, 2023

Everyone has a music lover on their holiday list — but what to do if they already own a copy their favourite band's albums? Rather than trying to find a record they don't already have, here are some fun merch items to buy the music fan in your life — including books, TSO tickets and unique curios.

101 Fascinating Canadian Music Facts by David McPherson

Author McPherson drops some CanCon knowledge on readers, testing their expertise of artists both legendary (The Tragically Hip!) and unfairly forgotten (Ruth Lowe?). 

Alvvays compact mirror

This Alvvays-branded folding compact mirror features the band's "Little Guy" mascot.

Begonia hankie

Pink hankie with screen-printed lyrics from "The Only One," from Begonia's Powder Blue album.

Broken Social Scene "Anthems" T-shirt

Broken Social Scene's most enduring song gets immortalized on this plain black tee that features some of its fan-favourite lyrics.

Feist silk scarf

This scarf features multiple copies of the same image stacked on top of one another, in the style of the cover image from Feist's latest, Multitudes.

My Effin' Life by Geddy Lee

Rush's bass player and helium-voiced singer spills the beans on a 50-plus-year career that's taken him from the suburbs of Toronto to some of the world's largest venues, racking up plenty of accolades, friends and stories along the way. 

Caroline Polachek underwear

Briefs and thong underwear featuring the title of Polacheck's 2021 banger "Bunny Is a Rider."

The Sadies snapback

Black mesh snapback hat with the band's logo on the front.

Skinny Puppy leggings

Industrial legends Skinny Puppy are currently wrapping up their "final tour." Grab these black leggings before they, and the band, are gone forever.

Sonic Life: A Memoir by Thurston Moore

The legendary guitarist takes readers from his early beginnings as a music-obsessed teen through his decades-long career in Sonic Youth and beyond. It features many digressions through the cultural movements Moore's career has paralleled, from New York no wave to the '90s alt-rock gold rush. 

Toronto Symphony Orchestra tickets

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra's exhilarating concerts in 2024 include the soaring score of Superman, the zany musical adventure of Animaniacs, the epic music from all nine mainline Star Wars films and a celebration of blockbuster video game scores with Game ON! Mark your calendars and secure your tickets for musical adventures like no other.

The Women in Me by Britney Spears 

Britney's first move after being freed from her conservatorship, this memoir is a breezy trip through the famed pop star's career, from her Disney beginnings through the dark paparazzi years to her current status as a pop culture icon. 

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