Back in its day, Winamp used to be one of the most popular music apps around, right up until the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, VLC, and other apps took over. In April, however, the app’s creators promised that the app would return soon and now it’s finally happening.

The developers have finally released the Winamp beta, which includes new looks and functionality. This includes music streaming over the web as part of Fanzone, as well as support for local tracks, combining the old ways with the new.

Fanzone is designed to provide independent artists with a platform to engage with their fans, sell merchandise, and host their music library. Fans now have the opportunity to directly support their favorite artists by subscribing to their music for a monthly fee of $1 per artist.

In addition to enjoying local music and exploring the works of Fanzone artists, users have the freedom to curate playlists that seamlessly blend their personal tracks with the music from their subscribed artists. Furthermore, Fanzone artists have the ability to share updates and connect with their audience through dedicated creator pages, resembling popular social media platforms.

The development of Winamp currently comes under Radionomy’s Llama Group, following the acquisition of its original creator, Nullsoft, by AOL in the early 2000s. The ambitions for this revitalization project are quite grand, aiming to expand Winamp’s user base to an impressive 250 million.

It remains to be seen whether the resurgence of this beloved program, along with its owner’s ambitious goals, will have a significant impact on the music industry, both on desktop and mobile platforms.

Source: Pro Pakistani