A music player that was once everywhere, known for its quirky llama references, is undergoing a transformation aimed at competing in the streaming landscape.
Winamp, which changed the digital music landscape in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has announced a new collaboration with Deezer, an independent music streaming service. This partnership will enable the creation of a subscription model utilizing the streamer’s white-label technology and extensive music library.
Slated for launch in early 2027, the new platform will enable users to access music from the streaming library in addition to their local files and internet radio stations, as stated in the company’s announcement. Users will also have the ability to personalize their interface through “skins,” a cherished feature from the original music player.
This isn’t precisely a revival. Even though it has taken a backseat during the streaming surge, Winamp’s music player remains available for download, with the company claiming that over 40 million users still actively engage with the desktop version.
Initially launched by Nullsoft, based in Arizona, in 1997 as a music player for Windows, Winamp quickly rose to become the preferred tool for managing and playing digital music files, boasting 60 million users in 2001.
Famous for its catchy slogan “Winamp, it really whips the llama’s ass” — the opening line of the default demo track that accompanied the software — Winamp was not the first MP3 player, but it significantly outperformed its rivals in speed, efficiency, and design.
Music streaming services such as Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music are displayed on a smartphone in France on June 1. (Grichka Beysson-Leandri/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images)
“Twenty-five years ago, we transformed how people enjoyed digital music, and we believe it’s time to redefine the listening experience once more,” stated Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO of Winamp Group, in a press release regarding the new initiatives.
The company has previously sought to venture into streaming. In 2018, Saboundjian informed TechCrunch about plans for a mobile version to arrive in 2019 that would integrate users’ music, podcasts, and streaming services. However, the following year passed without the anticipated app materializing.
The music player on everyone’s computers
In 1999, AOL bought Nullsoft for an estimated $80 million to $100 million. Although Winamp maintained strong performance initially, this acquisition eventually led to difficulties for the music player.
Mismanagement and cultural disagreements between AOL and Nullsoft leadership resulted in Winamp losing its competitive edge, allowing rivals like Apple’s iPod to gain traction, as detailed in an Ars Technica report on the platform’s decline.
For many music lovers, Winamp’s skins represent a period of open-source creativity. An online “skin museum” showcases examples of thousands of different designs created and shared by fans of the early versions of the music player.
Winamp was known for its customizable interfaces, which the company says will be part of the new streaming expansion. The ‘Winamp Skin Museum’ preserves downloadable versions of skins for the legacy version. (Winamp Skin Museum/Anika_C/Peacemaker)
AOL planned to shut down the platform at the end of 2013, but Winamp narrowly escaped extinction when Belgium-based Radionomy, later rebranded as Llama Group and then Winamp Group, acquired it.
After exploring music NFTs, Winamp attempted a comeback in 2023 and 2024 by launching a platform aimed at connecting artists and fans, followed by a new mobile application available on Android and iOS.
Details regarding the potential pricing for the new streaming service remain unclear, with no additional information provided yet. If everything proceeds as planned, users eager to enjoy music on an interface adorned with characters from Lord of the Rings might see their wishes granted next year.
However, not all fans are enthusiastic about this change. Some users on Reddit expressed their discontent over a music player that once symbolized the era of personal programming shifting towards a subscription model. Following the launch of the forthcoming platform, the desktop version will feature an option for premium subscriptions.
“I still use the old Winamp…. It works just fine,” remarked one user in a comment reacting to the news.