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Tune into these five gift ideas for music lovers

Even if you don't believe in braving the retail nightmare that is Black Friday, chances are you're still using the post-Thanksgiving weekend to think about what you'll be giving to loved ones this holiday season.

While I can't help you with gift ideas for all types of people in your life ("Hey, Dad, hope you like this tie!"), I am in a position of strength when it comes to buying for music lovers. And I'm certainly not recommending going down to Wal-Mart and grabbing the first discount CD you see. It's always a gamble to try to choose music for a music lover. Besides, who listens to CDs these days, anyway?

Fear not, music-gift-challenged reader: Here are five tips on where to start as you venture out into the world of commerce.

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THE GIFT THEY KEEP ON ANTICIPATING: The bigger pop artists these days announce their tours far in advance. For instance, we already know that Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, the Dixie Chicks and many more will be stopping in D-FW at different points next year. So if one of your recipient's favorite acts is playing here months down the road, there's no better gift than a set of concert tickets in the ol' stocking. Not only will you both be able to share in the fun when the big show arrives, but you'll also be able to look forward to the event together. You'll have plenty of time to coordinate your outfits (yes, people really do that).

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Selena Gomez performs at the American Music Awards.
Selena Gomez performs at the American Music Awards.(Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

THE FREEDOM TO LISTEN TO WHATEVER: Wanna be your teenage niece or nephew's most admired relative this year? Buy them credit for a few months of a premium music streaming service via an online gift or a gift card. Both Spotify and Apple Music offer ad-free, all-inclusive access to pretty much every artist in the world (minus a few stubborn holdouts). Not only will the recipients think of you whenever they listen to music, but their parents will also thank you for saving them one more regular expense. Oh, and if your little music lover would rather have a hands-free listening experience, Pandora and YouTube both offer premium services that work well as highly intuitive, user-specific radio stations.

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THE SOUND YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU: One can never have too many methods of listening to music, so you'll be totally safe if you find a portable Bluetooth speaker that your family member can connect to a cellphone for a party on the go. And you don't even have to spend a lot -- go to any department store and you'll find scads of affordable speakers of different colors and sizes and innovative shapes. There are also tiny Bluetooth adapters you can plug into the audio jacks of an old stereo, making near-obsolete equipment perfectly viable once again.

THE OLD-SCHOOL OPTION: Some of us like to take a break from the web-based music experience and pull out a vinyl record every once in a while. Records are growing more popular by the year, so the listeners in your life would certainly appreciate a gift certificate to one of the phenomenal stores in the area. Good Records, Bill's Records, Josey Records and Forever Young are all beloved destinations. Note that Nov. 27 marks the holiday edition of Record Store Day, on which many mom-and-pop shops offer special deals and exclusive releases. You also could give a surprise bag full of discount vinyl from any of those places -- your recipients will have fun flipping through it and listening to some unexpected sounds. You might throw in a few record- shaped wall frames, too, so that they can hang up their favorite cover art. Just don't bother with those cheapo portable Crosley record players -- they are an audiophile's nightmare and are not worth even a discounted price.

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Ben Hixon, works on putting price tags on records in preparation for the opening at Josey...
Ben Hixon, works on putting price tags on records in preparation for the opening at Josey Records and Music in Dallas.(Vernon Bryant / Staff Photographer)

THE SEARCH FOR MERCH: A rock 'n' roll T-shirt or poster will be a hit, especially if it represents your loved one's favorite artist. But I'm not talking about ordering some stiff, brand-spankin'-new, overpriced tee. Get more creative by checking out eBay or thrift stores to see what vintage items are out there. A worn-out Rolling Stones shirt from five tours ago will go over better than you think, especially if you've ever caught its recipient doing Jagger moves in the mirror.

RECORD STORES

Good Records: 1808 Lower Greenville Ave., Dallas. goodrecords.com.

Bill's Records: 1317 S. Lamar St., Dallas. billsrecords.com.

Josey Records: 2821 LBJ Freeway, Dallas. joseyrecords.com.

Forever Young Records: 2955 S. State Highway 360, Grand Prairie. foreveryoungrecords.com.