Music In Real Life presents: The Mixtape Gift Guide
Want to show someone how much you care, but donât quite know how to say it? Create a mixtape for them, the universal symbol that says âhey, I really like you, hopefully these tunes will show itâ. Figure out the person youâre going to give this magical mixtape to and scroll down to find our top recommendations. Of course, nothing is better than putting a personal spin on these things, so add an extra track that you guys have jammed to together, or perhaps a song you canât stop referencing during your times together. Either way, theyâre bound to enjoy.
Whether they classify themselves as realists or romantics, none of that matters here because music is universal to all ideals. Create something she can wake up to, something she can cry to, but more importantly, something she can find you in when she feels lonely:
Avalanche - WALK THE MOON
Luv, Hold Me Down - Drowners
Let Your Heart Hold Fast - Fort Atlantic
The Girl - City And Colour
The Modern Leper (Cutting Room Sessions) - Frank Turner
Known for being notoriously hard to shop for during gift-giving times, boys can sometimes be a little bit harder to analyze. Scientists have yet to discover what they exactly do want, but that doesnât matter here. Create a mixtape that blows his mind, that makes him believe he doesnât really need that new Call of Duty game, and that surprises him with how awesome your music taste is:
Every Other Freckle - alt-J
Sheâs Got You High - Mumm-Ra
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys
What I Needed - Erin McCarley
The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
Remember when you pulled that all-nighter which will go down in history as the time you ate every bad kind of food all at once? Remember when you laughed so hard you could feel your non-existent abs starting to bulge out of your body? Remember the time you felt like complete shit and they were the first person you called? Create a mixtape thatâs just as completely wonderful as they are and a mixtape that tells not only all of your adventures together, but how much you appreciate them on a daily basis:
Oath - Cher Lloyd feat. Becky G
I Feel Like Dancinâ - All Time Low
Best Day of My Life - American Authors
Kids In The Street - All-American Rejects
With A Little Help From My Friends - The Maine feat. Lydia and Arkells
Laughter Lines - Bastille
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Breathe (2 AM) - Anna Nalick
If youâre running out of present ideas for your parents (no, your dad doesnât need another tie and your mom is probably better off without another bath set), a personalized gift that theyâre sure to love is a mixtape. What kind of weird, lame music did they love to listen to back in the day? Find out the answer to that question and you have a mixtape theyâll constantly leave in their old cassette player or âCD-ROM DiscManâ. Here are suggestions of some of the great hits of the âolden daysâ, and some songs that will tug at their heart strings:
China Grove - The Doobie Brothers
Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
American Woman - The Guess Who
Born On the Bayou - Creedance Clearwater Revival
The Best Day - Taylor Swift
Green Eyed Lady - Sugarloaf
Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles
Come on Eileen - Dexyâs Midnight Runners
Hotel California - The Eagles
FOR WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP GETS COMPLICATED TO DEFINE:
He (she) loves me, he (she) loves me not. If youâre still picking the petals off of flowers and you donât know where you stand with someone, giving them a mixtape might be the perfect, yet subtle way of expressing your feelings. Pretty much any love/breakup song could fit on this one, but these are a few of our favourites.Â
I Want to Belong to You - Katie Herzig
Kathleen - Catfish and the Bottlemen
I Will Posses Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie
If I Could Change Your Mind - Haim
Closer Than This - St. Lucia
Wonderful Unknown (feat. Greg Laswell) - Ingrid MichaelsonÂ
We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow - Soko
FOR THE PERSON WHO KNOWS MUSIC SO WELL YOU FEEL INTIMIDATED GIVING THEM YOUR OWN:
No matter what anyone says about country music, or the songs on the radio, or liking a band just because theyâre âcoolâ, your music taste is awesome because itâs yours. However, if you feel a little self-conscious giving someone who loves music as much as you do a mixtape, here are our suggestions that we hope will blow them away.Â
Youâll Never Know - The Maine
Donât Sit Down âCause Iâve Moved Your Chair - Arctic Monkeys
Danny, Dakota, & the Wishing Well - A Silent Film
Your New Beloved - Lovelife
Make Me A Bird - Elektrik People
Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis
Free (feat. Emeli Sandé) - Rudimental
FOR THE DOUCHEBAG/B*TCH THAT BROKE YOUR HEART:
While the title might be a little vulgar, we know that when someone breaks your heart, thereâs no room for politeness or gentleness. You may not be as confident (or as cheesy) as some music videos/movies where you actually give this mixtape to your ex to show them that youâve moved on, but think of this one as a gift to yourself. Sometimes channeling your anger or sadness into a beautiful creation can be therapeutic, so go ahead and waste a blank CD on this one.Â
According to You - Orianthi
Over It - Katharine McPhee
Black Roses - Clare Bowen
#Icanteven (feat. French Montana) - The Neighbourhood
Walk Over Me - The All-American Rejects
Over You (feat. A Great Big World) - Ingrid Michaelson
FOR THE PERSON WHO NEEDS CHEERING UP:
If someone you know is going through a rough patch, a mixtape of epic, inspirational songs might make life a little more bearable. As with the other mixtapes, this gift is perfect  is a great solution to not knowing how to put your feelings into words. Luckily, artists have already completed that task for you. It would make this mixtape even more meaningful and effective if you were to add some personal favourites.Â
You Wonât Feel a Thing - The Script
Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield
Little Wonders - Rob Thomas
Donât Give Up On âUsâ - The Maine
Keep Your Eyes Open - NEEDTOBREATHE
Lonesome Dreams - Lord Huron
Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
