Winamp, the iconic MP3 player of the pre-streaming era, is making a comeback in 2027 through a partnership with Deezer. The new player will feature a premium subscription service powered by Deezer's white-label streaming technology and licensed catalog. This arrangement allows Winamp to retain ownership of its branding and subscriber relationship while Deezer provides the streaming infrastructure.

The classic desktop app will remain available alongside the new version, which will integrate local files, Internet radio, podcasts, and cloud-stored music libraries. This revival comes after AOL considered shutting down the service in 2013 before selling it to Radionomy. The partnership addresses previous integration challenges that delayed earlier revival attempts.

Winamp has promised a subscription model "fundamentally different" from current streaming services, featuring customizable interfaces, social features, and new music discovery tools. Pricing and supported platforms remain unannounced despite promises of more previews in coming months. For the first time in its nearly 30-year history, Winamp will offer a premium subscription tier.

If the Deezer partnership succeeds, it marks a significant rebound for the service that defined the MP3 era.