Winamp launches new player with services aimed at empowering music creators to become their own merchants

14 April 2023 - Press release

Winamp’s goal is to grow to 250 million users, with 1 million artists generating revenue from new era of ‘superfans’

 

Winamp, the iconic music player, is today launching a new player that comes with a range of functionalities aimed at unlocking the relationship between artists and fans, while empowering creators to become their own merchants. 

Winamp, famed for its customisable skins and irreverent attitude, continues to be massively popular with a community of 83 million users around the world. But the new player ecosystem represents an important evolution of the player to focus its empowering attitude on the needs of music artists in the 2020s.

For the first time Winamp is available as a mobile-responsive web player(player.winamp.com), and – set to be released in Q3 – mobile apps (iOS and Android), based on the legacy desktop version. A new super-aggregator forms part of the player that welcomes any audio services, building on Winamp’s DNA of openness and empowerment of listeners. It can now offer the best of everything for fans, be it podcasts, radio stations, and - coming soon - the ability to play local files and connect to streaming services.

The platform features the Fanzone, which creators can access to become better merchants and to sell their products, creating tiered subscription plans. Winamp fuels the love dedicated fans have for their favourite artists through exclusive content, experiences and memberships, while empowering artists to bypass industry gatekeepers and create on their own terms. The Fanzone enables fans to directly support their favourite artists, while being rewarded with access to exclusive content. The sky is the limit for the kind of content that can be included in the Fanzone – they can be images, video, audio, or special gifts. 

Artists access the Fanzone via Winamp for Creators (creators.winamp.com), which was originally launched on 15 March when creators were offered the opportunity to sign up to populate the Fanzone with content. Winamp for Creators provides creators with ways to build new revenue streams to supplement their income from DSPs, a single place to manage their Fanzone subscriptions and soon other services such as distribution and copyright management (both Q2), licensing and creating/selling NFTs out of their content (both Q3).

The goal for Winamp’s new player is to grow to 250 million users, and to have 1 million artists on the Winamp Fanzone accessible through the new player, all generating revenue through the Fanzone. The existing 83 million-strong Winamp community of listeners have the ability to upgrade to the new platform to increase the range of services.  

Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO, Llama Group, said: “Winamp has a legacy of 30 years of music empowerment and irreverence. That challenger spirit is needed today more than ever. Creators find it increasingly hard to gain value from streaming services, making it harder for them to sustain their art and grow their careers. In this environment, artists have to take their future into their own hands – they need to supplement the income by becoming their own merchants.

“With the new Winamp player, our aim is to empower creators to make more money, at a time when they really need it. Winamp’s mission is to change the mindset of artists – from one where they feel like victims of poor revenues from the DSPs, to one of empowerment about what they can achieve by themselves.

“Meanwhile, a new generation of superfans are looking for new ways to spend money on, and engage with, their favourite artists. Winamp’s Fanzone offers them an opportunity to do just that.”

 

player.winamp.com

creators.winamp.com