Winamp—remember that one?—has been working on something of a revival for a while now. And as part of its modern comeback, the media player is entering into a partnership with Deezer.
Winamp was one of the defining music—and more general media—players of the 1990s and the early 2000s. After that, however, the software gradually disappeared into the annals of computing history. It remained popular among a relatively small group of users for some time, particularly as an almost universal audio player and thanks to its instantly recognisable user interface. Updates, however, had long since dried up.
That changed some time ago. More recently, the company has been trying to find a new market for its player. In its modern incarnation for smartphones and tablets, Winamp bears little resemblance to the nostalgic version many will remember. However, a Legacy Player is now available as well. It is Windows-only, but retains that unmistakable nineties appearance—for the true enthusiasts, so to speak.
Of course, we live in an age when software developers can’t survive on goodwill and thin air alone. Although Winamp itself is essentially free, its makers are nevertheless looking for ways to generate revenue. One example is the newly announced partnership with Deezer. Naturally, a Deezer subscription comes at a price, and the collaboration should therefore provide Winamp with some additional income to help fund further development.
The new feature is expected to roll out sometime during the first half of 2027.