Winamp is preparing to open a new chapter in the music world with its 2027 return. The legendary player of the MP3 era will meet users as a completely renewed platform thanks to its strategic partnership with Deezer.

With this new structure, which will be launched in 2027, Winamp aims to bring together not only local music files but also internet radio, podcasts, and cloud-based libraries under one roof. Deezer will provide white-label streaming technology and a vast music catalog, creating the infrastructure for Winamp.

Next Generation Winamp and Deezer Collaboration

Winamp Group stated that this new initiative will not replace the classic desktop application and that the classic version, which has more than 40 million active users worldwide, will be preserved. Deezer’s permanent subscription system will also be integrated into the classic desktop application after launch.

For Deezer, this step stands out as part of the company’s strategy to compensate for the slowdown in subscriber growth seen in its financial results for the first half of 2026. Following the termination of its collaboration with Mercado Libre, the company aims to strengthen its business model again with white-label agreements.

Deezer signed the agreement with Winamp on July 1st and presented this development to its investors as part of the Deezer for Business program. With this arrangement, Deezer will manage the streaming infrastructure, while Winamp will continue to retain ownership of the work, brand management, and subscriber interests.

The Winamp Experience from Past to Future

Winamp’s comeback plan is being implemented with a different approach than past attempts. Announced in 2018 but never realized, the streaming-focused project failed due to integration issues with third-party services.

The new affiliate aims to fundamentally solve this problem by directly integrating Deezer’s licensing and streaming infrastructure into the system. The classic MP3 player, updated in 2022, and the source code shared on GitHub in 2024 (but later removed), were part of Winamp’s recent turbulent period.

Now, the company is preparing to present users with a completely different subscription model. No official details have been shared yet regarding pricing or supported platforms. The company announced that they are working on a customizable interface, community features, and advanced music discovery tools.

This endeavor is considered a rather attractive comeback for a service that AOL planned to shut down in 2013 and subsequently sold to Radionomy. How do you think Winamp’s new subscription-based structure will affect your music listening habits?