CBS is re-entering the crowded New Year’s Eve programming space this year, with the country-music themed “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” set to become the network’s first New Year’s special since the turn of the millennium.
The five-hour special, announced Thursday, will air on CBS and stream live on Paramount+. It will feature performances by country music stars including Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell and the Zac Brown Band.
The special will lead up to the traditional New Year’s countdown at midnight ET, followed by Nashville music note drop and fireworks at midnight CT.
The last time CBS aired a New Year’s Eve special was the Will Smith-hosted and Quincy Jones-produced “DC’s Millennium Celebration” in 1999. Prior to that, the network ran its “Happy New Year, America” specials for nearly 20 years with a rotating list of hosts including Andy Williams, Paul Anka, Donny Osmond and Natalie Cole.
Robert Deaton and Mary Hilliard Harrington will serve as executive producers on “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash,” which is produced in partnership with the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. Sandra Restrepo, a veteran of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and the Soul Train Awards, will direct.