After nearly 30 years, Winamp is teaming up with Deezer to add streaming to its iconic player

Published Jul 30, 2026, 2:55 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary Winamp will add Deezer-powered streaming, launching a reimagined player in H1 2027. Deezer supplies white-label tech and a global catalog for a Winamp-branded premium subscription. It won't replace local playback, and Winamp will still support local libraries, internet radio, podcasts, and cloud collections. If you listened to music on your PC at any time during the late 90s to early 00s, there's a good chance you used Winamp. The software has been trying new things to regain its former glory. It previously tried opening up its source code for community development, though that project faced license pushback and was eventually pulled. Now, it has announced it's teaming up with Deezer to supply Winamp with music streaming capabilities. Winamp is getting music streaming features with Deezer It'll still be a local media player, too As spotted by TechCrunch, the announcement broke over on Deezer's newsroom. To keep up with modern-day music trends, Winamp wants to supply its users with a streaming service for its premium users. To do that, it plans to team up with Deezer to get the job done: "Scheduled for release in H1, 2027, the new Winamp Player will introduce a completely reimagined listening experience built around a simple ambition: to reinvent the music player for the streaming era. Under the agreement, Deezer will provide its white-label music streaming technology and global music catalogue, enabling Winamp to launch its own premium subscription offering under the Winamp brand. The service will be fully integrated into the new Winamp Player and delivered as a native Winamp experience." Does this mean that Winamp is scrapping everything to become a music streaming platform? Thankfully, no. The company aims to make its app work with "users’ local music libraries, internet radio stations, podcasts, personal cloud-based collections and other audio sources" alongside the streaming service. As such, if you have zero plans to use Winamp's streaming service, it should still work for all the things you currently use it for.