Winamp, the popular media player launched in the 90s, has announced a strategic partnership with music-streaming platform Deezer, which will see the media player redesigned as a unified service, handling music and podcasts, both streamed and local.
The partnership will employ Deezer’s white-label music-streaming technology and global music catalogue to power a new premium music subscription service, which will be integrated into the upgraded Winamp Player.
Although the service will be a paid subscription, Winamp says it will deliver “a fundamentally different experience from today’s traditional digital streaming platforms, reimagining both the listening experience and the subscription model.”
Scheduled for release in the first half of 2027, the player will not be limited to streaming and will also give users access to local music libraries, internet radio stations, podcasts, personal cloud-based collections and other audio sources.
Staying true to the original version, the new player will keep its customizable interface – 90s kids, rejoice!
First released in 1997, the original Winamp media player was known for its customisation options, which included skins for the user interface. The media player’s visualiser, which created real-time, music-reactive graphics, was yet more renowned and has since become a hallmark of early 2000s music culture.
According to Alexandre Saboundijan, CEO of Winamp Group: “Winamp has always been about giving users the freedom to experience music their own way. Twenty-five years ago we changed the way people listened to digital music, and we believe the time has come to challenge the listening experience once again.”
The new Winamp Player is expected to launch in the first half of 2027. No pricing has yet been announced.
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