I ran into issues with sometimes not being able to view some other users files when I requested a list of what they were sharing, but I don't really know the ins and outs of how it all works, I just know that plenty of people downloaded a lot of stuff from me so it must have been working for some people :)

https://lemmy.ml/c/dubstep I have been posting over here, if you like some dubstep come join in :D

Also https://lemmy.fmhy.ml/c/trap here for some trap.

Found this looking for a beatmatch or dj community. Did you have any luck finding any?

Beatmatch specifically was great as it wasn't as gate keepy in my experience.

The music I play is pretty damn niche and soulseek has been great for finding a lot of things that I just simply wont get anywhere else. Unfortunately it is also a genre full of elitest gatekeeping "vinyl only release" cunts so it naturally draws the locked file crowd.

If i wasnt poor then I would make it my mission to buy up and rip all the vinyl only releases just to make them available to everyone. Sadly I am poor xD

Im pretty sure, at least in my case, they do have the files. The music I play is pretty damn niche so it wouldnt be worth it for someone to try and run a scam like that imo. Although for more mainstream stuff that could be a possibility, but then if it is more popular usually there are many people sharing it unlocked.

Fuck knows xD

Another vote for trying soulseek if you haven't already. Best place for music imo.