I’m an admitted music snob. I have to be the first one to find the next big DJ, to download the newest releases, to call it when a song’s about to explode. And being both first and correct when it comes to electronic music is no easy task. I set aside at least an hour each day browsing different downloading sites, listening to previews, and carefully selecting songs that make it into my pregame playlists. 

While I bask in the glory of introducing songs to my friends first, I’m the last person who will share my sources. I’ve worked diligently to find the best musical downloading databases, and my lips have always been sealed when it comes to downloading and telling. But today, I’m going to let you readers in on my secrets, because I’ve realized it’s more important to share the musical love than keep it bottled up.

So without further adieu, here are my top five electronic music downloading websites, you can thank me later: 

 

 

1. Dirty Mexican Lemonade - http://dml.fm/: DML is always my first click of the day for musical downloads. The site is super easy to navigate, loads quickly, and provides a clean and simple user-friendly layout. Updated multiple times a day, the site’s fifteen staffers upload everything electro-related, from grimy dubstep to sweet progressive house. The staff also sorts through submissions from up-and-coming DJs and posts unheard of gems you normally couldn’t find. On the bottom right-hand side of the site is an online chatroom where users can instant message about new posts, swap songs, and notify staff if links aren’t working.
2. This Song Is Sick - http://thissongissick.com/blog/: This Song Is Sick is the reason I even started listening to house music. After a friend showed me the website, I was absolutely hooked on the genre and spent hours browsing the quick-witted posts from the UC Boulder-based founder Nick Guarino. The website offers an array of electronic mixes and bangers, as well as hip-hop and rap. Embedded Soundcloud players in most posts make previewing and grabbing songs instantaneous. The website also provides downloadable playlists for already-sorted, on-the-go listening.  
3. Vacay Wave - http://www.vacayvitamins.com/: Vacay Wave is the artsy, well-written music blog every EDM fanatic should have bookmarked. A flashy layout complements high-quality indie photos that link to each post. Vacay Wave calls their songs “vitamins," providing daily doses of electronic music. Monthly posts include “The Smorgasbord” (a medley of songs) and “Emergency Vitamin Pack” (until your next prescription refill). The website also boasts well-conceived concert recaps, DJ interviews, and album reviews.
4. Fresh New Tracks - http://freshnewtracks.com/: Fresh New Tracks is definitely the most genre-inclusive blog on the list, posting songs ranging from Electro and Dubstep to Hip-hop and Indie. Users can scroll over each genre title at the top, finding subtitles such as “freestyle” and “rap” under Hip-hop and “dutch” and “progressive” under House. This feature is for the in-a-rush browser, making searching for specific sounds fast and hassle-free. The website’s writing is youthful and truthful, with descriptions that accurately depict songs instead of over-dramatizing or underplaying.  
5. Fighting Musical Ignorance; New Age Music Blog - http://fmitracks.com/: I saved the best for last; FMI Tracks is your one-stop-shop for all musical downloads. With a clearcut header linking to every genre imaginable, users with a specific purpose can quickly navigate about. But the site is also enjoyable for browsing, as users can scroll through a myriad of video reviews, electro remixes, and album releases. FMI tracks has consistently posted songs I haven’t been able to find anywhere else, providing a database of the best and most unique electronic music in the blogosphere.