View source for Winamp

{{Short description|Media player for Microsoft Windows}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Winamp
| logo = Winamp_media_player_logomark.png
| logo caption = Logo used in the Winamp player
| logo size = 250px
| screenshot = WinAmp 5.9.2, Windows 10.png
| screenshot size = 220px
| caption = Winamp 5.9.2 running on [[Windows 10]] (Classic skin)
| author = [[Nullsoft]]
| developer = [[Radionomy|Llama Group]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1997|4|21}}
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]], [[C++]]<ref name="WACoreProgLang"/><ref name="WAPluginProgLang"/>
| operating system = [[Windows]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[MS-DOS]] (DOSamp),<ref name="winamphistory"/> [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]] ([[MacAmp]]), [[Linux]]
| language count = 18
| language = English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
| size = 16.3 [[Megabyte|MB]]
| genre = [[Media player (software)|Media player]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] (1997–present); Winamp Collaborative License 1.0.1, [[Source-available software|source available]] (September–October 2024)
| website = {{URL|https://winamp.com/player}}
| discontinued = no
}}

'''Winamp''' is a [[media player (software)|media player]] for [[Microsoft Windows]] originally developed by [[Justin Frankel]] and Dmitry Boldyrev<ref name="Saltzman"/><ref name="Millard"/><ref name="Mengyi"/> by their company [[Nullsoft]], which they later sold to [[AOL]] in 1999 for $80&nbsp;million. It was then acquired by [[Radionomy]] in 2014, now known as the [[Radionomy|Llama Group]]. Since version 2, it has been sold as [[freemium]] and supports extensibility with [[plug-in (computing)|plug-ins]] and [[skin (computing)|skins]], and features [[music visualization]], [[playlist]] and a media library, supported by a large [[online community]].

Version 1 of Winamp was released in 1997, along with basic counterparts for [[MS-DOS]] and [[Macintosh]], and quickly grew popular with over 3 million downloads,<ref name=Wired98/> paralleling the developing trend of [[MP3]] [[file sharing]]. Winamp 2.0 was released on September 8, 1998. The 2.x versions were widely used and made Winamp one of the most downloaded Windows applications.<ref name="AutoMZ-18"/> By 2000, Winamp had over 25 million registered users<ref name=AOL1/> and by 2001 it had 60&nbsp;million users.<ref name="arstechnica.com">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/winamp-how-greatest-mp3-player-undid-itself/ |title=Winamp's woes: How the greatest MP3 player undid itself |date=July 3, 2017 |access-date=January 2, 2018}}</ref> A poor reception to the 2002 rewrite, Winamp3, was followed by the release of Winamp 5 in 2003, and a later release of version 5.5 in 2007. Winamp for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] was released in 2010. The last AOL-developed version, Winamp 5.666, was released in 2013.

After a five-year hiatus, Winamp 5.8 (written as Winamp 5.<math>\infin</math>) was leaked to the public in 2018<ref name="winamp58release"/> before its eventual release by Radionomy;<ref name="winamp58"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Evangelho |first=Jason |title=Winamp 5.8 Has Been Officially Released And Supports Windows 10 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2018/10/19/winamp-5-8-has-been-officially-released-and-supports-windows-10/ |access-date=June 15, 2020 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> development has since resumed<ref name="winamp59release" /><ref name="winamp591release" /> with the latest version 5.9.2 released on April 26, 2023. Its developer Radionomy has since rebranded as Llama Group and launched a streaming service that allows users to support artists by buying perks or [[NFTs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://themusic.com.au/news/could-the-answer-to-indie-revenue-be-winamp/-HFG6u3s7-4/13-04-23 |title=Could the Answer to Indie Revenue Be… Winamp?}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Newman |first=Jared |date=2023-04-14 |title=Winamp is back, but not like you remember it |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90880374/winamp-is-back-but-not-like-you-remember |website=FastCompany}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web |last=Davenport |first=Corbin |date=2022-09-09 |title=Winamp 5.9 Is the First Stable Update in Four Years |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/831727/winamp-5.9-is-the-first-stable-update-in-four-years/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=How-To Geek |language=en}}</ref> The service launched on the web in April 2023, followed by beta apps for Android and [[iOS]] in July 2023.<ref name="forest.watch.impress.co.jp">{{cite web |url=https://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1514530.html |title=モバイル版「Winamp」のクローズドベータが発表 ～iOS/Androidで人数限定のテスト／参加枠はまだ残っている模様 |date=July 7, 2023}}</ref> In September 2024, Llama Group partially released the Winamp source code for Windows under a custom [[Source-available software|source-available]] license; the source repository was deleted soon afterwards following criticism for its license terms and inclusion of proprietary code.<ref name=at8oct>{{cite news |last1=Proven |first1=Liam |title=Winamp deletes entire GitHub source code repo after a rocky few weeks |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/10/winamp-really-whips-open-source-coders-into-frenzy-with-its-source-release/ |access-date=22 January 2025 |work=[[Ars Technica]] |date=16 October 2024}}</ref>

== Features ==
; Playback formats: Winamp supports music playback using [[.mp3|MP3]], [[MIDI]], [[MOD (file format)|MOD]], [[MPEG-1]] audio layers [[.mp1|1]] and [[.mp2|2]], [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[MPEG-4 Part 14#.MP4 versus .M4A|M4A]], [[FLAC]], [[WAV]], and [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]]. Winamp was one of the first widely used music players on Windows to support playback of [[Ogg Vorbis]] by default.<ref name="AutoMZ-1"/> It supports [[gapless playback]] for MP3 and AAC and [[ReplayGain]] for volume leveling across tracks. CD support includes playing and [[ripping|importing]] music from [[Red Book (audio CD standard)|audio CDs]], optionally with [[CD-Text]], and [[Optical disc authoring|burning]] music to CDs. The standard version limits maximum burn speed and datarate; the "Pro" version removes these limitations.<ref name="waFeat"/> <!-- reference for the whole paragraph --> Winamp supports playback of Windows Media Video and [[Nullsoft|Nullsoft Streaming Video]]. For MPEG Video, AVI, and other unsupported video types, Winamp uses Microsoft's [[DirectShow]] API for playback, allowing playback of most of the video formats supported by [[Windows Media Player]]. 5.1 [[Surround sound]] is supported where formats and decoders allow.<ref name="cnetdixon"/>
; Media Library: At installation, Winamp scans the user's system for media files to add to the ''Media Library'' database.<ref name="VanBuskirk"/> It supports full [[Unicode]] filenames and Unicode [[metadata]] for media files.<ref name="PCWelt"/> In the ''Media Library'' user interface pane, under ''Local Media'', several selectors (''Audio'', ''Video'', date, and frequency) permit display of subsets of media files with greater detail.<ref name="VanBuskirk"/>
; Adding album art and track tags: ''Get Album Art'' permits retrieval of cover art, and confirmation before adding the image to the database. ''Autotagging'' analyzes a track's audio using the [[Gracenote]] service and retrieves the song's ID2 and ID3 metadata.<ref name="VanBuskirk"/>
; Podcatcher: Winamp can also be used as [[RSS]] media feeds [[feed aggregator|aggregator]] capable of displaying articles, downloading, or playing such content as [[streaming media]]. [[SHOUTcast Wire]] provides a directory and RSS subscription system for [[podcast]]s.<ref name="VanBuskirk"/><ref name="Graffeo"/>
; Media player device support: Winamp has extendable support for [[portable media player]]s and [[USB mass storage device class|Mass Storage Compliant]] devices, [[Microsoft PlaysForSure]], and [[ActiveSync]], and syncs unprotected music to the [[iPod]].<ref name="VanBuskirk"/><ref name="Hart-Davis"/>
; Media Monitor: Winamp ''Media Monitor'' allows web-based browsing and bookmarking music blog websites and automatically offering for streaming or downloading all MP3 files there. The ''Media Monitor'' is preloaded with music blog URLs.<ref name="VanBuskirk"/>
; Winamp Remote: ''Winamp Remote'' allows remote playback (streaming) of unprotected media files on the user's PC via the Internet. ''Remote'' adjusts bitrate based on available bandwidth, and can be controlled by web interface, [[Wii]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Xbox 360]], and mobile phones.<ref name="VanBuskirk"/>
; Plug-ins: In February 1998, Winamp was rewritten as a "general-purpose audio player"<ref name="WAv1.90"/> with a [[plug-in (computing)|plug-in]] architecture. This feature was received well by reviewers.<ref name="Gibbs"/><ref name="MaxPC"/> Development was early, diverse, and rapid: 66 plugins were published by November 1998.<ref name="AutoMZ-2"/> The ''Winamp [[software development kit]] (SDK)'' allows software developers to create seven different types of plug-ins.<ref name="AutoMZ-3"/>
:*''Input'': decodes specific file formats.
:*''Output'': sends data to specific devices or files.
:*''[[Music visualization|Visualization]]'': provides sound activated graphics.
:*''[[audio signal processing|DSP/Effect]]'': manipulates audio for special effects.
:*''General Purpose'' plug-ins add convenience or UI features (''Media Library'', ''alarm clock'', or ''pause when logged out'').
:*''Media Library'' plug-ins add functions to the Media Library plug-in.
:*''Portables'' plug-ins support [[portable media player]]s.<ref name="MP3.com"/><!-- reference for this whole paragraph -->

[[File:Milkdrop Spikeball.jpg|thumb|[[MilkDrop]], a visualization plug-in in Winamp]]

Plug-in development support increased Winamp's flexibility&nbsp;&ndash; for example, the creation of specialized plug-ins for [[console emulator|game console]] music files such as [[NES Sound Format|NSF]],<ref name="AutoMZ-4"/> [[Nintendo Ultra 64 Sound Format|USF]], [[Game Boy Sound System|GBS]],<ref name="AutoMZ-5"/> [[GBA Sound Format|GSF]],<ref name="AutoMZ-6"/> [[MOS Technology SID|SID]],<ref name="chip"/> [[VGM (file format)|VGM]],<ref name="chip"/> [[SPC700 sound format|SPC]],<ref name="chip"/> [[PlayStation Sound Format|PSF, and PSF2]].

; Skins: [[Skin (computing)|Skins]] are bitmap files that alter the aesthetic design of the Winamp [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) and can add functionality with scripting.<ref name="Tidwell"/> Winamp published documentation on skin creation<ref name="Beggs"/> in 1998 with the release of Winamp 2<!--cited in History--> and invited Winamp users to publish skins on Winamp.com. As of 2000, there were nearly 3,000 Winamp skins available.<ref name="SHacker"/><ref name="AutoMZ-7"/> The ability to use skins contributed to Winamp's popularity early in MP3 development.<ref name="AutoMZ-8"/> With the increasing number of available skins, [[genre]]s or categories of skins developed, such as "Stereo", "Anime", and "Ugly". Online communities of skin designers such as 1001Skins.com and Skinz.org have contributed thousands of designs;<ref name="Hacker141"/><ref name="AutoMZ-9"/> also at GnomeArt.<ref name="Team GnomeArt"/> Designers see skins as an opportunity to be creative:<ref name="AutoMZ-10"/> nontraditional examples have included [[Klingon]], [[iPod]], and [[Etch-a-sketch]] designs.<ref name="AutoMZ-11"/> The Winamp skin format is the most popular, the most commonly adopted by other media player software, and is usable across platforms.<ref name="AutoMZ-12"/> One example is the [[XMMS]] player for [[Linux]] and [[Unix]] systems, which can use unmodified Winamp 2 skin files.<ref name="AUUGN"/><ref name="AutoMZ-13"/> Winamp 5 supports two types of skins&nbsp;&ndash; "classic" skins designed to Winamp 2 specifications (static collections of [[bitmap image]]s), and more flexible, freeform "modern" skins per the Winamp3 specification. Modern skins support true [[Alpha compositing|alpha channel]] transparency, [[scripting language|scripting]] control, a docked toolbar, and other innovations to the user interface.<ref name="WinampFAQ"/>

== History ==

=== Initial releases ===
[[File:Winamp 0.2a.jpg|thumb|WinAMP 0.2a, 21 April 1997<ref name="rtd/winAMP">{{cite web |title=Winamp: How a Quirky MP3 Player Became an Audio Icon |url=https://www.retrotechdreams.com/winamp-how-a-quirky-mp3-player-became-an-audio-icon/ |website=Retro Tech Dreams |access-date=1 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211094846/https://www.retrotechdreams.com/winamp-how-a-quirky-mp3-player-became-an-audio-icon/ |archive-date=11 December 2023 |date=November 5, 2023}}</ref>]]
[[File:WinAMP 0.92.jpg|thumb|WinAMP 0.92, May 1997<ref name="rtd/winAMP"/>]]

Winamp was first released in 1997, when [[Justin Frankel]] and Dmitry Boldyrev,<ref name="Saltzman"/><ref name="Millard"/><ref name="Mengyi"/> formerly students at the [[University of Utah]], integrated their [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] user interface with the Advanced Multimedia Products ("AMP") MP3 file playback engine.<ref name="AutoMZ-14"/> The name Winamp (originally spelled WinAMP) was a [[portmanteau]] of "Windows" and "AMP".<ref name="portmanteau" /> The minimalist WinAMP 0.20a was released as freeware on April 21, 1997.<ref name="winamp0.2"/><ref name="Haring"/>

Its windowless, menu bar-only interface showed only play (open), stop, pause, and unpause functions. A file specified on the command line or dropped onto its icon would be played. MP3 decoding was performed by the AMP decoding engine developed by Advanced Multimedia Products co-founder [[Tomislav Uzelac]], which was free for non-commercial use.<ref name="AutoMZ-15"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bačan |first=Danijel |date=2023-08-03 |title=How a Croat Revolutionized the Way We Listen to Music |url=https://3seaseurope.com/croat-tomislav-uzelac-revolutionized-how-we-listen-to-music/ |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=3 Seas Europe |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=2024-06-20 |title=From inventing MP3 to making war strategy games {{!}} Tomislav Uzelac interview |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/from-inventing-mp3-to-making-war-strategy-games-tomislav-uzelac-interview/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620201419/https://venturebeat.com/games/from-inventing-mp3-to-making-war-strategy-games-tomislav-uzelac-interview/ |archive-date=2024-06-20 |access-date=2025-09-29 |work=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref> It was compatible with [[Windows 95]] and [[Windows NT 4.0]]. Winamp was the second [[real-time computing|real-time]] MP3 player for Windows, the first being [[WinPlay3]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.silicon.co.uk/mobility/mobile-apps/tales-tech-history-winamp-220495 |title=Tales in Tech History: Winamp |date=August 25, 2017}}</ref>

WinAMP 0.92 was released as freeware in May 1997. Within the standard Windows frame and menu bar, it had the beginnings of the "classic" Winamp GUI: dark gray rectangle with silver 3D-effect transport buttons, a red/green volume slider, time displayed in a green [[Seven-segment display|LED font]], with track name, MP3 bitrate, and "mixrate" in green. Overlength titles appear as slowly scrolling text (or "marquee"). The [[skeuomorph]]ic design somewhat resembles [[shelf stereo]]s. There was no position bar, and a blank space where the [[spectrum analyzer]] and [[waveform analyzer]] would later appear. Multiple files on the command line or dropped onto its icon were enqueued in the playlist.

=== Winamp 1 ===
[[File:Winamp1.006.PNG|thumb|Winamp 1]]

Version 1.006 was released June 7, 1997,<ref name="Wired98"/><ref name="AutoMZ-16"/> renamed "Winamp", with "amp" now in lowercase. It showed a spectrum analyzer and color-changing volume slider, but no waveform display. The AMP non-commercial license was included in its [[Online help|help menu]].

According to Tomislav Uzelac, Frankel licensed the AMP 0.7 engine June 1, 1997.<ref name="play1"/> Frankel formally founded [[Nullsoft]] Inc. in January 1998 and continued development of Winamp, which changed from freeware to $10 [[shareware]].<ref name=Wired98/> Despite the fact that there would be no extra features by paying $10, Winamp's popularity and warm reception brought Nullsoft $100,000 a month that year from $10 paper checks in the mail from paying users.<ref name="arstechnica.com" />

In March, Brian Litman, managing co-founder with Uzelac of Advanced Multimedia Products, which by then had been merged into PlayMedia Systems, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Nullsoft, claiming unlawful use of AMP.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://funkidswonderfulhistory.weebly.com/technology-inventions.html |title=Technology/ Inventions |website=British History for KidsKS2 |access-date=February 3, 2018 |archive-date=February 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201192929/http://funkidswonderfulhistory.weebly.com/technology-inventions.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Nullsoft responded that they had replaced AMP with Nitrane,<ref name="rtd/winAMP"/> Nullsoft's proprietary decoder, but Playmedia disputed this.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} Third-party reviews found that Nitrane had bugs that resulted in playing back MP3s incorrectly, and that this resulted in unstable tones being added to the playback, and undoubtedly therefore violated the ISO standard. This also means that Nitrane was unlikely to have been based on the AMP software, and was more likely evidence of a hastily written MP3 decoder that didn't concern itself with standards compliance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mp3decoders.mp3-tech.org/decoders_winamp2_62.html |title=Winamp v2.62 mp3 decoding quality test results |website=mp3decoders.mp3-tech.org |access-date=September 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110191532/http://mp3decoders.mp3-tech.org/decoders_winamp2_62.html |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Version 1.90,<ref name="rtd/winAMP"/> released March 31, 1998, was the first release as a general-purpose audio player, and documented on the Winamp website as supporting plugins, of which it included two input plugins (''MOD'' and ''MP3'') and a visualization plugin.<ref name="WAv1.90"/>

The installer for Version 1.91, released 18 days later, included ''wave'', ''cdda'', and ''Windows tray handling'' plugins, as well as the famous [[Wesley Willis]]-inspired DEMO.MP3 file ''"Winamp, it really whips the llama's ass"''.<ref name="AutoMZ-17"/><ref name="RS"/> ''Mike the Llama'' is the company mascot.<ref name="rtd/winAMP"/>

By July 1998, Winamp's various versions had been downloaded over three million times.<ref name=Wired98/>

=== Winamp 2 ===
[[File:Winamp2.PNG|thumb|Winamp 2.0, shown with default Base Skin]]

Winamp 2.0 was released on September 8, 1998. The new version improved the usability of the playlist, made the equalizer more accurate, and introduced more plug-ins. The modular windows for playlist and equalizer now matched the player's skin and could be moved around and be separated or "docked" to each other anywhere in any order.

The 2.x versions were widely used and made Winamp one of the most [[download]]ed pieces of software for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]].<ref name="AutoMZ-18"/> By the end of 1998, there were already over 60 plugins and hundreds of skins made for the software.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winamp.com/winamp/overview.html |title=Winamp &#124; Overview &#124; |website=www.winamp.com |access-date=January 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981203055250/http://www.winamp.com/winamp/overview.html |archive-date=December 3, 1998 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

PlayMedia filed a federal lawsuit against Nullsoft in March 1999. In May 1999, PlayMedia was granted an [[injunction]] by Federal Judge [[A. Howard Matz]] against distribution of Nitrane by Nullsoft, and the same month the lawsuit was settled out-of-court with licensing and confidentiality agreements.<ref name=Haring/> Soon after, Nullsoft switched to an [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] decoder from the [[Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft]], the developers of the MP3 format.

Winamp 2.10, released March 24, 1999, included a new version of the "Llama" ''demo.mp3'' featuring a musical [[Sting (musical phrase)|sting]] and [[bleating]].

Nullsoft was purchased by [[AOL]] in June 1999 for $80&nbsp;million in stock,<ref name="rtd/winAMP"/> with Nullsoft becoming a subsidiary.<ref name="AOL1"/><ref name="AutoMZ-19"/> AOL itself merged with [[Time Warner]] in 2000.

Nullsoft relaunched the Winamp-specific winamp.com in December 1999 to provide easier access to skins, plug-ins, streaming audio, song downloads, forums, and developer resources.

As of June 22, 2000, Winamp surpassed 25 million registrants.<ref name=AOL1/>

=== Winamp3 ===
[[File:Winamp3_Default_W2CT.png|thumb|right|Winamp3 with its default skin]]

The next major Winamp version, Winamp3 (so spelled to include ''mp3'' in the name and to mark its separation from the Winamp 2 codebase), was released on August 9, 2002. It was a complete rewrite of version 2, newly based on the Wasabi application framework, which offered additional functionality and flexibility.<ref name="AutoMZ-21"/> Winamp3 was developed parallel to Winamp 2, but "many users found it consumed too many system resources and was unstable (or even lacked some valued functionality, such as the ability to count or find the total duration of [[Song|tracks]] in a [[playlist]])".<ref name="AutoMZ-20"/><ref name="AutoMZ-21"/> Winamp3 had no [[backward compatibility]] with Winamp 2 plugins, and the [[SHOUTcast]] sourcing plugin was not supported. No Winamp3 version of SHOUTcast was ever released.

In response to users reverting to Winamp 2, Nullsoft continued the development of Winamp 2 to versions 2.9 and 2.91 in 2003,<ref name="AutoMZ-22"/> even alluding to it humorously.<ref name="AutoMZ-23"/> The [[beta version]]s 2.92 and 2.95 were released with the inclusion of some of the functionality of the upcoming Winamp 5. During this period the Wasabi (software)|Wasabi cross-platform [[Application software|application]] framework and [[Skin (computing)|skinnable]] [[GUI]] toolkit was derived from parts of the Winamp3 source code. For [[Linux]], Nullsoft released an [[alpha version]] of Winamp3 on October 9, 2001, but has not updated it despite continued user interest.<ref name="AutoMZ-24"/>

During this time Winamp faced stiff competition from [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[iTunes]].<ref name="arstechnica.com"/>

=== Winamp 5 ===
[[File:Winamp5.png|thumb|Winamp 5 featuring Winamp Modern skin]]

Winamp 5 was based on the Winamp 2 codebase, but with Winamp3 features such as modern skins incorporated via a plugin,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=167493#post1261545 |title="Why no Winamp2 Download" (post #4) |last=Richman |first=Eddy "DJ Egg" |date=January 31, 2004}} (forum post by developer)</ref> thus incorporating the main advantages of both products. Regarding the omission of a version 4, Nullsoft joked that "nobody wants to see a Winamp 4 skin" ("4 skin" being a pun on [[foreskin]]).<ref name="AutoMZ-25"/> It was also joked that "Winamp 5 is so good they skipped a number" and "Winamp 2+3=5,".<ref name="AutoMZ-26"/> Winamp 5.0 was released in December 2003. A blue themed "Modern" skin became the default interface. The media library was improved, CD burning and ripping was introduced, and other additions.

The original Nullsoft team quit in 2004. As of version 5.1, Winamp development is credited to Ben Allison (Benski) and Maksim Tyrtyshny.<ref name="AutoMZ-30"/><!-- Primary source, harmless for this purpose. -->

From version 5.2 onwards, support for synchronizing with an [[iPod]] and other portable music players is built-in.<ref name="AutoMZ-27"/> This was developed by Will Fisher, as a re-write of the open source [https://sourceforge.net/projects/mlipod/ ml_ipod plug-in].

==== Winamp 5.5 ====
[[File:Winampmain.png|thumb|The ''Bento'' skin, introduced in Winamp 5.5]]
Winamp 5.5: The 10th Anniversary Edition was released on October 10, 2007,<ref name="AutoMZ-28"/> ten years after the first release of Winamp (a [[beta version|preview version]] had been released on September 10, 2007). New features to the player included album art support, improved localization support (with several officially localized Winamp releases, including German, Polish, Russian, and French), and a new default interface skin called "Bento" which unlike the previous skins is a unified player and media library in one window as opposed to a multi-window interface.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.last100.com/2007/09/17/winamp-goes-where-itunes-doesnt-dare/ |title=Winamp goes where iTunes doesn't dare « last100}}</ref> This version dropped support for [[Windows 9x]].<ref name="VanBuskirk"/><ref name="AutoMZ-29"/>

==== Winamp 5.6 ====
[[File:Winamp 5.621.PNG|thumb|Winamp 5.621, when listening to the [[SHOUTcast]] stream]]

Winamp 5.6 was released in November 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=https://winfuture.de/news,59877.html |title=Winamp 5.6: Android-Gerät via WLAN verwalten |date=November 30, 2010}}</ref> and features [[Android (operating system)|Android]] Wi-Fi support and direct mouse wheel support. Fraunhofer AAC codec with VBR encoding support was implemented. Moreover, the option to write ratings to tags (for MP3, WMA/WMV, [[Ogg]], and [[FLAC]]) was added. Hungarian and Indonesian installer translations and language packs were added.

With the release of Winamp version 5.66 on November 20, 2013, [[AOL]] announced that Winamp.com would shut down on December 20, 2013, and Winamp would cease to be offered for download after that date.<ref name=ars-shutdown />

[[File:Winamp_5.666_media_player.png|thumb|Winamp 5.666, running in Classic mode]]
Five days later, version 5.666 was released with the "Pro" and "Full" installers being one and the same, in the process removing OpenCandy, Emusic, AOL Search, and AOL Toolbar from the installation bundle. This was announced to be the last release of Winamp from AOL/Nullsoft.<ref name="winamp5666post" />

==== Winamp 5.7 ====
There was a Winamp 5.7 beta program for an invitation-based Winamp Cloud feature, which would let Winamp play a user's entire cloud-stored music library across all supported devices.<ref name="winampcloud" /> This feature would have allowed AOL to provide a music locker service that would essentially compete with other [[Comparison of online music lockers|online music lockers]]. The beta program was cancelled months before the announcement to shut down the Winamp project.<ref name="winampcloudabort" />

=== Acquisition by Radionomy ===
On November 20, 2013, AOL announced that it would shut down Winamp.com on December 20, 2013, and the software would no longer be available for download nor supported by the company after that date.<ref name=ars-shutdown /> The following day, an unofficial report surfaced that [[Microsoft]] was in talks with AOL to acquire Nullsoft.<ref name=verge-winampms>{{cite web |title=AOL reportedly wants to sell Winamp to Microsoft |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/21/5130536/microsoft-aol-reportedly-working-on-winamp-sale |work=The Verge |access-date=November 21, 2013 |date=November 21, 2013}}</ref><ref name=bw-winampms>{{cite web |title=Microsoft in Talks To Buy SHOUTcast And Winamp From AOL |url=http://www.broadcastingworld.com/news/view-476/ |work=Broadcasting World |access-date=November 28, 2013}}</ref> Despite AOL's announcement, the Winamp site was not shut down as planned, and on January 14, 2014, it was officially announced that Belgian online radio aggregator Radionomy had bought the Nullsoft brand, which includes Winamp and SHOUTcast. No financial details were publicly announced.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/01/aol-sells-winamp-and-shoutcast-music-services-to-online-radio-aggregator-radionomy |title=AOL Sells Winamp And Shoutcast Music Services To Online Radio Aggregator Radionomy |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |work=[[TechCrunch]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |date=January 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name=verge-winampacquired>{{cite web |title=Winamp lives on after acquisition by Radionomy |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/14/5263086/winamp-radionomy-acquisition-internet-radio-service |work=The Verge |access-date=January 14, 2014 |date=January 14, 2014}}</ref> However, [[TechCrunch]] reported that the sale of Winamp and Shoutcast was worth between $5 and $10 [[million]], with AOL taking a 12% stake (a financial, not strategic, investment) in Radionomy in the process.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |title=AOL Sells Winamp And Shoutcast For $5-10M To Radionomy, Takes 12% Stake in Belgian Digital Audio Startup |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/14/aol-sells-winamp-and-shoutcast-for-5-10m-to-radionomy-takes-12-stake-in-belgian-digital-audio-company/ |work=techcrunch.com |date=January 14, 2014 |publisher=TechCrunch |access-date=January 14, 2014}}</ref>

Radionomy relaunched the Winamp website, and the software was available for download again. In December 2015, [[Vivendi]] bought a majority stake in Radionomy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/winamp-has-a-new-owner-relaunch-possible-once-again-497871.shtml |title=Winamp Has a New Owner, Relaunch Possible Once Again |first=Bogdan |last=Popa |date=December 20, 2015 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072708/http://news.softpedia.com/news/winamp-has-a-new-owner-relaunch-possible-once-again-497871.shtml |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Following Radionomy's acquisition, no new releases would officially surface until Winamp 5.8 in 2018.

==== Winamp 5.8 ====
In September 2018, it was reported that a Winamp 5.8 beta build 3563 was leaked to various file-sharing sites.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/llamas-not-dead-winamp-58-beta-leaks-online |title=Llama's not dead, Winamp 5.8 Beta leaks online |first=Razvan |last=Serea |date=September 16, 2018 |access-date=September 18, 2018 |publisher=NeoWin}}</ref> The leaked build, bearing a build date of October 26, 2016, would be the first public build under Radionomy's umbrella, with changes including compatibility with Windows 8.1, 10 and 11, and the removal of the paid Winamp Pro.

Following the leak, Radionomy officially released Winamp 5.8 build 3660 on October 18, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/15/17980238/winamp-coming-back-all-in-one-music-player-playlists-podcasts-streaming-radio |title=Winamp is coming back as an all-in-one music player |first=Dani |last=Deahl |date=October 15, 2018 |access-date=October 19, 2018 |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=453675 |title=Winamp 5.8 Beta, Build 3660 (official) |date=October 19, 2018 |access-date=October 19, 2018 |publisher=Winamp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019121937/http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=453675 |archive-date=October 19, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Winamp 5.9 ====
Winamp 5.9 was released on September 9, 2022, with mostly under-the-hood improvements.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winamp 5.9 Released - Winamp & Shoutcast Forums |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=458120 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=forums.winamp.com |date=July 26, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> The development team migrated the project from [[Visual Studio]] 2008 to Visual Studio 2019, in addition to improving support for Windows 11, [[high-resolution audio]], and playback of [[HTTPS]] streams. The minimum supported operating system was increased to [[Windows 7]] [[Service Pack|SP1]].

On December 6, 2022, Winamp 5.9.1 was released, adding a music NFT playback feature. Users are able to add music NFTs on Ethereum and Polygon to the media library by connecting to the Metamask wallet.

In April 2023, Winamp 5.9.2 was officially released, which, according to the developers themselves, is a minor update to the previous version.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://forums.winamp.com/forum/winamp/winamp-discussion/4615655-winamp-5-9-2-released |title=Winamp 5.9.2 Released |date=2023-04-26 |website=Winamp.com}}</ref>

=== Winamp service ===
[[File:Winamp_Logo.svg|thumb|Modernized logo used by the Winamp website and service. The media player retains the classic logo.]]
On October 15, 2018, Radionomy's CEO Alexandre Saboundjian announced that a new version of Winamp – then called Winamp 6 – would be released in 2019.<ref name="winamp-new-relase">{{cite web |date=October 15, 2018 |title=Winamp returns in 2019 to whip the llama's ass harder than ever |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/15/winamp-returns-in-2019-to-whip-the-llamas-ass-harder-than-ever/ |access-date=October 15, 2018 |work=TechCrunch}}</ref> The new version launched on April 13, 2023, as an online service.<ref>{{cite web |title=Llama Group: Winamp Launches New Player With Services Aimed at Empowering Music Creators to Become Their Own Merchants |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/llama-group-winamp-launches-player-130000050.html |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Yahoo Finance |date=April 13, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> The platform features Winamp Player, a [[music streaming service]] with plans to integrate with other music platforms such as Spotify and to play local audio files. Another feature of the new platform is Winamp Fanzone, where artists can upload and license their music for commercial use, and listeners can support artists directly by buying perks, such as early access to new songs or NFTs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winamp celebrates its 25th anniversary with a music NFT feature in the latest update |url=https://answercoins.com/1493/winamp-celebrates-its-25th-anniversary-with-a-music-nft-feature-in-the-latest-update/ |website=Answercoins |access-date=December 11, 2022 |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211204619/https://answercoins.com/1493/winamp-celebrates-its-25th-anniversary-with-a-music-nft-feature-in-the-latest-update/ |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Source code release ==
On May 16, 2024, Llama Group announced that Winamp would be going partially [[open source]] on September 24, 2024.<ref name="open">{{cite web |date=2023-12-16 |title=Winamp has announced that it is opening up its source code to enable collaborative development of its legendary player for Windows. |url=https://about.winamp.com/press/article/winamp-open-source-code |accessdate=2024-05-16 |publisher=Llama Group |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Vaughan-Nichols |first=Steven |date=May 17, 2024 |title=Winamp is not going open source. Here's what it is doing - and why |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/winamp-is-not-going-open-source-heres-what-it-is-doing-and-why/ |access-date=2024-05-19 |publisher=[[ZDNET]] |language=en}}</ref> The source code was released in a [[GitHub|GitHub repository]] under the "''Winamp Collaborative License''", a license restricting the ability to create [[Fork (software development)|forks]] or distribute modified [[Binary file|binaries]] (which is not considered free or open source<ref>{{cite web |last=List |first=Jenny |date=September 24, 2024 |title=Winamp Releases Source Code, But Is It Really Open? |url=https://hackaday.com/2024/09/24/winamp-releases-source-code-but-is-it-really-open/ |access-date=September 25, 2024 |website=[[Hackaday]] |quote=paragraph five of the Winamp Collaborative License […] prohibits distribution of modified versions or forks, and stipulates that only the official maintainers can distribute it. This doesn’t sound like open source to us}}</ref>) and requires [[Copyright transfer agreement|waiving ownership]] of contributions to Llama Group.

After the source code was released, multiple pieces of [[proprietary software|proprietary source code]] were found: the entirety of the [[Shoutcast|SHOUTcast]] server software, as well as code from Microsoft, [[Dolby]] and [[Intel]].<ref name=at8oct /> After ''[[The Register]]'' contacted the Llama Group about the code on October 15, 2024, the GitHub repository was deleted.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Proven |first1=Liam |title=Open-sourcing of WinAmp goes badly as owners delete entire repo |url=https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/16/opensourcing_of_winamp_goes_badly/ |access-date=16 October 2024 |work=The Register |date=16 October 2024}}</ref>

== On other platforms ==

=== Android ===
''Winamp for Android'' is a mobile version for the [[Android (operating system)|Android]] (version 2.1) operating system, released in beta in October 2010 with a stable release in December 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/237809/winamp_review_one_of_the_best_android_music_apps_around.html |title=Winamp Review: One of the Best Android Music Apps Around |access-date=January 2, 2018 |date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> It includes syncing with Winamp desktop (ver. 5.59 beta+) over USB or Wi-Fi.<ref name="WAndroid"/> It was received with some enthusiasm in the consumer blog press.<ref name="AutoMZ-31"/><ref name="AutoMZ-32"/><!-- full reviews pending--><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/download/audio-video-photo/winamp-android-1410-3249957/ |title=Winamp for Android 1.4.10 - Audio, Video & Photo - Downloads |first=Mark |last=Wilson |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072532/https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/download/audio-video-photo/winamp-android-1410-3249957/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> The app was removed from the [[Play Store]] in 2014 due to a combination of factors, including a decline in user interest and the cessation of support from its parent company, AOL.

It was reported in 2018 by TechCrunch that a redesigned Android app was planned alongside the announcement of the development of Winamp 6.<ref name="winamp-new-relase" />

An app for the Winamp service was released in beta for Android in July 2023.<ref name="forest.watch.impress.co.jp"/><ref name=":2">{{cite web |last=Gunther |first=Cory |date=2023-11-01 |title=Winamp Is Coming to iPhone and Android |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/winamp-is-coming-to-iphone-and-android/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=How-To Geek |language=en}}</ref>

=== Macintosh ===
In 1997, Nullsoft also released [[MacAmp]], an [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[Classic Mac OS|Macintosh]] equivalent of Winamp.

In October 2011, ''Winamp Sync for Mac'' was introduced as a beta release. It is the first Winamp version for the [[Mac OS X]] platform and runs under version 10.6 and above. Its focus is on syncing the Winamp Library to Winamp for Android and the iTunes Music Library (hence the name, "Winamp Sync for Mac"). Nonetheless, a full Winamp Library and player features are included. The developer's blog stated that the ''Winamp Sync for Mac Beta'' would pave the way for future Winamp-related development on Mac<ref name="AutoMZ-33"/> and a fully featured media player as Winamp on Windows.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pawelporwisz.pl/winamp/winamp_help_mac.php |title=Winamp for Mac: Pomoc |access-date=October 2, 2020 |archive-date=May 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508112028/https://www.pawelporwisz.pl/winamp/winamp_help_mac.php |url-status=dead}}</ref> However no further development occurred.

=== Linux ===
An early alpha preview of Winamp3 for desktop [[Linux]] was developed in October 2001,<ref>{{cite web |last=Menta |first=Robert |date=October 10, 2001 |title=Winamp 3.0 Beta and Winamp 3.0, Alpha 1 for Linux Released |url=http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2001/winamp3beta.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011107175804/http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2001/winamp3beta.html |archive-date=November 7, 2001}}</ref> but support was dropped not long after. Nonetheless, some versions of Winamp for Windows are functional using [[Wine (software)|Wine]].

=== MS-DOS ===
DOSamp for [[MS-DOS]] operating systems was released in 1997. The software was soon abandoned by Nullsoft to focus on the Windows version (Winamp).

=== iOS ===
In July 2023, a beta version of a Winamp service was released via [[TestFlight]] for the [[iOS]] mobile platform.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/06/winamp-for-ios-is-now-available-via-testflight/ |title=Winamp for iOS is now available via TestFlight - gHacks Tech News |date=July 6, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

== Easter eggs ==
Winamp has historically included a number of [[Easter egg (media)|Easter eggs]]: hidden features that are accessible via undocumented operations. One example is an image of [[Justin Frankel]], one of Winamp's original authors, hidden in Winamp's About dialog box.<ref name="AutoMZ-34"/> The included Easter eggs have changed with versions of Winamp, and over thirty have been documented elsewhere.<ref name="AutoMZ-35"/>

== Derivative works ==
''Unagi'' is the codename for the media playback engine derived from Winamp core technologies. AOL announced in 2004 that Unagi would be incorporated into ''AOL Media Player (AMP)'', in development.<ref name="AOLUnagi"/> After [[beta testing]], ''AMP'' was discontinued in 2005, but portions lived on in AOL's Web-based player.<ref name="AutoMZ-36"/>

[[XMMS]], xmms2, [[qmmp]] and [[Audacious (software)|Audacious]] are free and open source music players created as clones of Winamp. Some of these even support skins and plug-ins designed for Winamp.<ref>{{cite web |title=From XMMS to Audacious: the history of a Winamp clone |url=http://freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/from_xmms_to_audacious/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=freesoftwaremagazine.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213204852/http://freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/from_xmms_to_audacious/ |archive-date=2012-02-13 |url-status=live}}</ref>

An [[HTML5]] and [[JavaScript]]-based web player resembling the graphical user interface of Winamp 2 was developed by programmer Jordan Eldredge in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |last=Biggs |first=John |date=February 9, 2018 |title=Whip the llama's ass with this Javascript WinAmp emulator |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/09/whip-the-llamas-ass-with-this-javascript-winamp-emulator |access-date=October 17, 2021 |publisher=[[TechCrunch]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[MacAmp]]
* [[Audacious (software)|Audacious]]
* [[XMMS]]
* [[qmmp]]
* [[Comparisons of media players]]
* [[Comparison of audio player software]]
* [[Comparison of feed aggregators]]
* [[List of audio conversion software]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="WAPluginProgLang">{{cite web |last=TariK |title=Nullsoft developer documentation instructing plugin developers what languages Winamp plugins are designed to be coded in. |url=http://wiki.winamp.com/wiki/Plug-in_Developer |publisher=Nullsoft |access-date=January 1, 2014 |archive-date=July 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711223001/http://wiki.winamp.com/wiki/Plug-in_Developer |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="WACoreProgLang">{{cite web |last=Owen |first=Darren (aka DrO) |title=A Winamp Developer stating the toolkit and current Microsoft Visual C runtime version winamp is built on. |date=June 22, 2013 |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showpost.php?p=2945786&postcount=8 |access-date=January 1, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="WAndroid">{{cite web |url=http://blog.winamp.com/2010/10/20/winamp-for-android-now-in-beta/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218221639/http://blog.winamp.com/2010/10/20/winamp-for-android-now-in-beta/ |archive-date=December 18, 2013 |title=Winamp for Android: now in beta |work=Winamp blog |date=October 20, 2010 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 6, 2016}}</ref>

<ref name="Saltzman">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9803/26/saltzman_mp3/index.html |title=Sounding off: MP3 heading for mainstream? |first=Marc |last=Saltzman |publisher=CNN |date=March 26, 1998}} Lists Boldyrev as "one of the developers at Nullsoft" of Winamp.</ref>

<ref name="Millard">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tmx1064W5JwC&pg=PA391 |title=America on Record: A History of Recorded Sound |page=391 |first=Andre |last=Millard |publisher=Cambridge University Press |edition=2 |date=December 5, 2005 |isbn=978-0521835152}}</ref>

<ref name="Mengyi">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nyt0HgC81I4C&pg=PA220 |title=Fundamental Data Compression |page=220 |first=Ida |last=Mengyi Pu |publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann |date=November 3, 2005 |isbn=978-0750663106}}</ref>

<ref name="ars-shutdown">{{cite news |url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2013/11/after-15-years-of-llama-whipping-aol-shuts-down-winamp-for-good/ |title=After 15 years of llama-whipping, AOL shuts down Winamp for good |last=Farivar |first=Cyrus |date=November 20, 2013 |work=Ars Technica |access-date=November 20, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-1">Mariano, Gwendolyn (May 1, 2002). [http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-896972.html "Winamp glitch may benefit open source"]. [[CNET]] News. Retrieved March 28, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="waFeat">{{cite web |url=http://www.winamp.com/help/Player_Features |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219003102/http://www.winamp.com/help/Player_Features |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Winamp Features Comparison |work=Winamp.com |access-date=March 28, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="cnetdixon">Dixon, Douglas; Dreier, Troy; France, Jasmine (August 6, 2006). [http://reviews.cnet.com/music-services/nullsoft-winamp-5-23/4505-9240_7-31219285.html?tag=mncolBtm;rnav#cnetReview "Nullsoft Winamp 5.23 Review & Editor's Rating"]. [[CNET]] News. Retrieved March 28, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="VanBuskirk">Van Buskirk, Eliot (October 11, 2007). [https://www.wired.com/2007/10/winamp-packs-on-features-for-10th-anniversary-edition/]. ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''. Retrieved March 7, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="PCWelt">{{cite web |title=Improved Unicode support with Winamp 5.33 |author=Hans-Christian Dirscherl |language=de |work=PCWelt.de |date=February 14, 2007 |url=http://www.pcwelt.de/news/Verbesserter-Unicode-Support-mit-Winamp-5-33-127329.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807100350/http://www.pcwelt.de/news/Verbesserter-Unicode-Support-mit-Winamp-5-33-127329.html |archive-date= August 7, 2011 |quote=Winamp 5.33 especially improves Unicode support. |access-date=June 28, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="Graffeo">Graffeo, Deana (September 14, 2005). [http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1104613,00.html "AOL Introduces New Podcast Offerings"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821115417/http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1104613,00.html |date=August 21, 2008}} ''[[AOL]]''; [[Time Warner]]. Retrieved March 7, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="Hart-Davis">{{cite book |last=Hart-Davis |first=Guy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZO6h8bn1JcYC&pg=RA1-PA388 |pages=306–309 |isbn=978-0-07-226387-9 |access-date=March 7, 2010 |title=How to do Everything with iPod & iTunes, 4th ed |date=January 4, 2008 |publisher=McGraw Hill Professional}}</ref>

<ref name="WAv1.90">{{cite web |url=http://www.winamp.com/winamp/newfeatures.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202223045/http://www.winamp.com/winamp/newfeatures.html |archive-date=December 2, 1998 |title=New Features listing |author=Winamp.com |date=December 2, 1998 |access-date=April 7, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name="Gibbs">{{cite journal |author=Gibbs, Mark |date=July 17, 2000 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zRkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40 |title=The Elephant remembers to remember audio |journal=[[Network World]] |volume=17 |issue=29 |page=40 |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="MaxPC">{{cite journal |author=Smith, Will |date=February 2000 |title=Complete Guide to MP3s |journal=Maximum PC |volume=5 |issue=2 |page=44 |publisher=[[Future US, Inc.]] |access-date=June 28, 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1991}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-2">{{cite web |url=http://www.winamp.com/plugins/index.html |title=Winamp Plug-ins |date=November 24, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981205123334/http://winamp.com/plugins/index.html |archive-date=December 5, 1998 |work=Winamp.com |publisher=Nullsoft Inc. |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-3">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100717140950/http://dev.aol.com/sdk/winamp "Winamp Developers"]. [[AOL]], ''AOL Developers Network''. January 4, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="MP3.com">{{cite book |last1=Robertson |first1=Michael |last2=Simpson |first2=Ron |year=1999 |title=The official MP3.com guide to MP3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qHa9x3CuBogC |publisher=[[MP3.com]] |isbn=978-0-9670574-0-8}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-4">[http://slickproductions.org/notsofatso.php "NotSoFatso NSF Player Plugin"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330072635/http://slickproductions.org/notsofatso.php |date=March 30, 2010}}. ''slickproductions.org'' (Slick Productions). Retrieved June 22, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-5">{{cite web |url=https://www.angelfire.com/nc/ugetab/nezplug.html |title=nezplug++ |website=[[Angelfire]] |access-date=January 2, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-6">[http://fantasyanime.com/emuhelp/music.htm#first_opening "Several GSF-compatible Winamp Plugins"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411062919/http://fantasyanime.com/emuhelp/music.htm#first_opening |date=April 11, 2010}}. ''Fantasy Anime'';</ref>

<ref name="chip">[http://www.chipamp.org/ "Chipamp Winamp Plugin bundle"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706121037/http://chipamp.org/ |date=July 6, 2010}} Chipamp.com. Retrieved June 22, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="Tidwell">{{cite book |author=Tidwell, Jenifer |title=Designing Interfaces:Patterns for Effective Interaction Design |date=November 2005 |publisher=[[O'Reilly Books]] |access-date=June 23, 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5clhONg4UQIC&pg=PA308 |isbn=978-0-596-00803-1}}</ref>

<ref name="Beggs">{{cite book |title=Designing Web Audio |last1=Beggs|first1=Josh |last2=Thede |first2=Dylan |year=2001 |page=191 |publisher=[[O'Reilly Media]] |isbn= 1-56592-353-7 |access-date=June 22, 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EkCSeYHr134C&pg=PA190}}</ref>

<ref name="SHacker">{{cite book |author=Hacker, Scot |title=MP3: The Definitive Guide |publisher=[[O'Reilly Books]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/mp3definitivegui0000hack/page/141 141] |year=2000 |access-date=June 23, 2010 |url=https://archive.org/details/mp3definitivegui0000hack |url-access=registration |isbn=1-56592-661-7}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-7">As of June 2010, https://web.archive.org/web/20131219003427/http://www.winamp.com/skins lists over 1900 ''Classic'' skins and over 700 ''Modern'' skins.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-8">{{cite book |title=Interface Design: Effective Design of Graphical User Interfaces |author=Dabbs, Alistair  |publisher=[[Watson-Guptill]] |year=2002 |isbn=0-8230-2516-0 |access-date=June 22, 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lQ54VMjLMsYC&pg=RA5-PA10}}</ref>

<ref name="Hacker141">Hacker, p.141.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-9">As of June 2010, [http://1001Skins.com/ ''1001 Winamp Skins''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111013425/http://1001skins.com/ |date=January 11, 2014}} lists over 3000 Winamp skins in over 20 categories. [http://skinz.org/ ''Skinz.org''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111011535/http://skinz.org/ |date=January 11, 2014}} lists over 500 Winamp skins.</ref>

<ref name="Team GnomeArt">{{cite web |url=http://gnome-look.org/index.php?xcontentmode=130 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113111756/http://gnome-look.org/index.php?xcontentmode=130 |url-status=dead |title=''Gnome-Art Skins'' |archive-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-10">Tidwell, p. 308.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-11">Tidwell, p. 286.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-12">Beggs, p. 190.</ref>

<ref name="AUUGN">{{cite journal |title=Building the Lo-Fat Linux Desktop |volume=23 |issue=2 |author=Murray, John |date=July 2002 |journal=AUUGN |publisher=[[AUUG]] Inc. |issn=1035-7521 |access-date=June 22, 2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=849jPBLfc_UC&pg=PA24}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-13">Hacker, p.78.</ref>

<ref name="WinampFAQ">{{cite web |url=http://www.winamp.com/help/FAQ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219003849/http://www.winamp.com/help/FAQ |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |work=winamp.com |publisher=AOL |title=Winamp Frequently Asked Questions – Skins |access-date=June 23, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-14">{{cite book |last=Ranjan |first=Parekh |year=2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TaNmc2IdNVwC&pg=PA249 |title=Principles of Multimedia |publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education |page=249 |isbn=007-05-88-333|access-date=June 25, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="winamp0.2">April 21, 1997, release date extracted from Winamp.exe 0.20a binary. This version still plays some constant-bit-rate MP3 files on Windows XP SP3, but can crash when paused and unpaused. Retrieved March 28, 2010.</ref>

<ref name=Haring>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y7a1LYwpcAEC&pg=PA101 |page=101 |access-date=March 7, 2010 |title=Beyond the Charts: MP3 and the Digital Music Revolution |isbn=9780967451701 |last1=Haring |first1=Bruce |year=2000 |publisher=JM Northern Media LLC}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-15">License info from Winamp 1.006 Help menu.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-16">Version 1.006 release date from help screen, version from executable binary.</ref>

<ref name=Wired98>{{cite journal |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.07/newmedia.html |journal=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |title=Rebootlegger |last1=Bronson |first1=Po |date=July 1998 |access-date=April 7, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=play1>{{cite web |url=http://www.playmedia.us/index.php?cat=news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622150530/http://www.playmedia.us/index.php?cat=news |archive-date=June 22, 2008 |title=Playmedia News |publisher=Playmedia |access-date=April 1, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-17">DEMO.MP3 15,592 bytes, 32&nbsp;kbit/s, 22&nbsp;kHz, recorded in "1997" "Exclusively for Nullsoft" by JJ McKay. Voice only, no music stinger.</ref>

<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine |author=Kushner, David |date=January 13, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321025028/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938320/the_worlds_most_dangerous_geek |archive-date=March 21, 2007 |title=The World's Most Dangerous Geek |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938320/the_worlds_most_dangerous_geek |url-status=dead |access-date=July 3, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-18">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnet.com/4520-11136_1-6257577-1.html |last1=Morrison |first1=Kelly Green |last2=Whitehouse |first2=Karen |title=Power of 10: The past, present, and future of digital living |year=2006 |work=Top 10 downloads of the past 10 years |publisher=[[CNET|CNET Networks, Inc]] |access-date=July 26, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720214602/http://www.cnet.com/4520-11136_1-6257577-1.html |archive-date=July 20, 2006}}</ref>

<ref name="AOL1">{{cite news |url=http://corp.aol.com/whoweare/history.shtml#2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041019220723/http://corp.aol.com/whoweare/history.shtml#2000 |archive-date=October 19, 2004 |title=AOL – Who We Are – History |publisher=AOL.COM |date=October 19, 2004 |access-date= April 9, 2004}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-19">{{cite web |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/43162945.html?dids=43162945:43162945&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+14,+1999&author=Bruce+Haring&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=Listening+to+parents,+not+college,+worth+$80M+AOL+loves+how+Frankel+makes+MP3+files+sing&pqatl=google |title=Listening to parents, not college, worth $80M AOL loves how Frankel makes MP3 files sing |work=USA Today |author=Haring, Bruce |date=July 14, 1999 |access-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203211456/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/43162945.html?dids=43162945:43162945&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+14,+1999&author=Bruce+Haring&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=Listening+to+parents,+not+college,+worth+$80M+AOL+loves+how+Frankel+makes+MP3+files+sing&pqatl=google |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-20">{{cite book |author=Parekh, Ranjan |year=2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TaNmc2IdNVwC&pg=PA249 |title=Principles of Multimedia |publisher=Tata [[McGraw-Hill]] |isbn=978-0-07-058833-2 |access-date=March 31, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-21">{{cite web |author=Mook, Nate |date=August 10, 2002 |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Winamp3-Makes-its-Official-Debut/1028955752 |title=Winamp3 Makes its Official Debut |publisher=Betanews Inc. |access-date=March 31, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-22">Release date from {{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030925131132/http://classic.winamp.com/ |url=http://classic.winamp.com |title=Winamp.com homepage for version 2 |archive-date=September 25, 2003 |publisher=Nullsoft |access-date=March 31, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-23">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030920142516/http://winamp.com/ |url=http://winamp.com/| archive-date=September 20, 2003 |title=Winamp.com homepage |publisher=Nullsoft |access-date=March 31, 2010 |quote=Almost As New As Winamp 2, Nullsoft Winamp3}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-24">{{cite web |url=http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Winamp-3-for-Linux/1002748075/1 |title=Winamp 3 for Linux |work=FileForum |publisher=Betanews Inc. |date=October 9, 2001 |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-25">{{cite web |title=Winamp Media Player FAQ |url=http://www.winamp.com/help/FAQ#General |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219003849/http://www.winamp.com/help/FAQ#General |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |work=Media Player Help |publisher=Winamp.com |access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-26">{{cite web |title=Winamp Media Player FAQ |url=http://www.winamp.com/help/FAQ#General |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219003849/http://www.winamp.com/help/FAQ#General |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |work=Media Player Help |publisher=Winamp.com |access-date=July 6, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-27">[https://web.archive.org/web/20131219005012/http://www.winamp.com/help/Version_History "Winamp Media Player Version History"]. Winamp.com, ''Media player help''. Retrieved March 28, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-28">{{cite web |title=AOL Announces Winamp 10th Anniversary Edition |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/marketing-advertising/5268769-1.html}}{{dead link |date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} AOL.com (press release). AllBusiness.com. Retrieved June 23, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-29">{{cite web |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=278538 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219005234/http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=278538 |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Winamp 5.5 Changelog |work=forums.winamp.com |date=October 9, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-30">Developer credits extracted from Winamp 5.55 credits screen. Retrieved March 28, 2010.</ref>
<ref name="AutoMZ-31">{{cite web |first=Tim |last=Conneally |date=December 28, 2010 |title=The not-so-obvious top 15 Android apps for 2010 |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/The-notsoobvious-top-15-Android-apps-for-2010/1293558281 |publisher=Beta News}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-32">{{cite web |title=Winamp comes to Android, one of our childhood dreams is realized |first=Joseph L. |last=Flatley |date=October 21, 2010 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/10/21/winamp-comes-to-android-one-of-our-childhood-dreams-is-realized/ |work=Engadget}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-33">{{cite web |url=http://blog.winamp.com/2011/10/26/introducing-winamp-for-mac-sync-beta/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219010128/http://blog.winamp.com/2011/10/26/introducing-winamp-for-mac-sync-beta/ |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Introducing Winamp for Mac Sync Beta – Winamp Blog |publisher=Blog.winamp.com |access-date=November 2, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-34">{{cite book |page=[https://archive.org/details/designingwebaudi0000begg/page/189 189] |url=https://archive.org/details/designingwebaudi0000begg |url-access=registration |title=Designing Web Audio |publisher="O'Reilly Media, Inc." |isbn=9781565923539 |last1=Beggs |first1=Josh |last2=Thede |first2=Dylan |year=2001}}</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-35">{{cite web |last1=Wolf|first1= David |last2=Wolf |first2=Annette |url=http://www.eeggs.com/tree/555.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614150856/http://www.eeggs.com/tree/555.html |archive-date=June 14, 2011 |title=Application Easter Eggs – Winamp |publisher=The Easter Egg Archive |access-date=September 15, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name="AOLUnagi">[http://www.pcworld.pl/news/73413/AOL.nowy.odtwarzacz.nowa.przegladarka.html "AOL: new players, new browser (Polish)"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717215741/http://www.pcworld.pl/news/73413/AOL.nowy.odtwarzacz.nowa.przegladarka.html |date=July 17, 2011}} ''[[PC World]]'' – Polish edition ([https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.pcworld.pl/news/73413/AOL.nowy.odtwarzacz.nowa.przegladarka.html&hl=en&langpair=auto|en&tbb=1&ie=ISO-8859-2 in English]), December 13, 2004.</ref>

<ref name="AutoMZ-36">Mook, Nate (December 20, 2005) [http://www.betanews.com/article/AOL-Discontinues-New-Media-Player/1135094960 "AOL Discontinues new Media Player"]. Betanews.com. Retrieved March 31, 2010.</ref>

<ref name="portmanteau">Neal, Ryan W. (November 21, 2013) [http://www.ibtimes.com/winamp-rip-celebrating-life-nullsofts-revolutionary-mp3-player-1480600 Winamp R.I.P.: Celebrating The Life Of The Nullsoft's Revolutionary MP3 Player]. ''International Business Times''. Retrieved November 25, 2013.</ref>

<ref name="winamp5666post">{{cite web |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showpost.php?p=2974870&postcount=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219005628/http://forums.winamp.com/showpost.php?p=2974870&postcount=1 |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Winamp 5.666 released |access-date=November 26, 2013 |publisher=Nullsoft |website=Winamp Forums |date=November 20, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="winampcloud">{{cite web |url=http://www.winamp.com/labs/cloud |title=Winamp Cloud |access-date=November 26, 2013 |publisher=Nullsoft |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901015951/http://www.winamp.com/labs/cloud/ |archive-date=September 1, 2013 |website=Winamp Official}}</ref>

<ref name="winampcloudabort">{{cite web |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showpost.php?p=2975640&postcount=79 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219005828/http://forums.winamp.com/showpost.php?p=2975640&postcount=79 |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Winamp 5.666 released |access-date=November 26, 2013 |publisher=Nullsoft |author=DrO, Winamp/ShoutCast developer |website=Winamp Forums| date=November 21, 2013 }}</ref>

<ref name="winamphistory">{{cite web |title=THE HISTORY OF WINAMP! |url=http://blog.oldversion.com/the-history-of-winamp/ |date=June 2, 2011 |access-date=November 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204230614/http://blog.oldversion.com/the-history-of-winamp/ |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="winamp58">{{cite web |publisher=Winamp |date=June 15, 2020 |title=Download Winamp 5.8 |url=https://www.winamp.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615032738/http://www.winamp.com/ |archive-date=June 15, 2020 |access-date=June 15, 2020 |website=Winamp Official}}</ref>

<ref name="winamp58release">{{cite web |date=October 19, 2018 |title=Winamp 5.8 Beta, Build 3660 (official) |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?p=3162479#post3162479 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130041219/http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?p=3162479 |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |access-date=January 30, 2023 |website=Winamp Forums}}</ref>

<ref name="winamp59release">{{cite web |date=September 9, 2022 |title=Winamp 5.9 Final Released - Winamp & Shoutcast Forums |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?p=3227070#post3227070 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130041447/http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?p=3227070 |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |access-date=January 30, 2023 |website=Winamp Forums}}</ref>

<ref name="winamp591release">{{cite web |date=December 22, 2022 |title=5.9.1 Final (Build 10029) changes from RC4 (Build 10027) |url=http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=459660&page=3#final |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130043325/http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?p=3232018%23post3232018 |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |access-date=January 30, 2023 |website=Winamp Forums}}</ref>
</references>

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web |first=Cyrus |last=Farivar |url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2012/06/winamp-how-greatest-mp3-player-undid-itself/ |title=Winamp's woes: how the greatest MP3 player undid itself |work=[[Ars Technica]] |date=June 24, 2012}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://forums.winamp.com Winamp Forums] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408231432/https://forums.winamp.com/ |date=April 8, 2023 }}
* [https://skins.webamp.org/ Winamp Skin Museum]

{{Media player (application software)}}
{{Aggregators}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Online music database clients]]
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[[Category:Windows CD ripping software]]
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[[Category:Windows media players]]