Winamp is making another attempt—and this time, it’s bringing Deezer on board. The French streaming service is providing the music catalog via white-label technology, and Winamp is building its own premium subscription service on top of it. The new Winamp Player is set to launch in the first half of 2027 and will combine streaming, local collections, internet radio, and podcasts under one roof.
What’s Behind the Winamp and Deezer Partnership
Anyone who owned a Windows PC in the late ’90s or early 2000s is familiar with the little program featuring the distinctive equalizer. For years, Winamp was the go-to player for locally stored MP3s—before Spotify and others ushered in the streaming era and the classic faded into obscurity. That’s exactly what’s set to change now.
According to Deezer’s official announcement, the streaming provider is making its infrastructure and global catalog available. Winamp is launching its own subscription service under the well-known brand—fully integrated into the new player. Unlike pure streaming apps, the software is designed to bring together multiple sources: the Deezer subscription, your own music collection on your hard drive, internet radio, podcasts, and personal cloud libraries.
The interface remains highly customizable—a hallmark that Winamp has always stood for. It also includes social features familiar from modern music services. The company will reveal exactly how the player plans to stand out from the competition shortly before its launch. In any case, it promises “an experience fundamentally different from today’s conventional streaming platforms” and aims to rethink both the listening experience and the subscription model.
After several failed attempts: Will it work this time?
Skepticism is warranted, as Winamp has already announced several comebacks. In 2023, the player was transformed into a platform for artists but failed to meet its goals. In 2024, the source code was released online —but restrictive licensing terms caused more trouble than a fresh start. Interesting fact: According to Winamp, the classic desktop version is still used by over 40 million people. After the launch, it too is set to receive the new Deezer-powered subscription service.
Behind the project is the publicly traded Winamp Group, which also owns brands such as Bridger and Jamendo. Whether partnering with an established streaming provider will be enough to compete against Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music remains to be seen—in 2027 at the earliest. Until then, Winamp plans to release further details and initial previews.
Conclusion
Winamp’s comeback in 2027 sounds more ambitious than previous attempts: With Deezer as its technical backbone and a concept that combines streaming with users’ own music collections, the brand strikes a chord with everyone who wants to own—not just rent—their music. Whether this turns into a genuine revival or just another New Year’s resolution ultimately depends on how it’s executed—and we won’t know the details until next year.
