Not everyone likes to go out on New Year’s Eve, some of us are perfectly fine staying home in sweatpants, eating junk food and watching the various TV specials broadcasting the big ball drop in Times Square. There are familiar favorites, new duos and streaming comedies on tap this year, so if you’re not ready for crowds, no worries, we’ve got you covered. This is our roundup of New Year’s Eve TV specials.
Host: Ryan Seacrest
For the show’s 50th anniversary, Ryan Seacrest is back in the Times Square studio, Liza Koshy is in Times Square, Billy Porter once again hosts from New Orleans, Ciara is back to host the LA segments with DJ D-Nice. Roselyn Sanchez hosts the first ever Spanish language countdown from Puerto Rico with a performance from Daddy Yankee.
Hip-hop legend LL Cool J will perform the pre-midnight set in Times Square, while Billy Porter belts out a medley on the riverboat Louis Armstrong on the Mississippi River in the French Quarter. Karol G, Journey and Chlöe are also set as part of the Manhattan broadcast.
Hosts: Bobby Bones and Rachel Smith
CBS takes New Year’s Eve country with a celebration from Nashville featuring performances from Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Zac Brown Band. Lady A, Ingrid Andress, BRELAND, King Calaway, Riley Green, Sam Hunt, Chris Janson, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce and Lainey Wilson.
The show includes more than 50 performances across multiple time zones with an east coast midnight celebration and a central time countdown featuring the Music Note Drop®.
Host: Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen host in Times Square. At 12:30 am ET Don Lemon, Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan take over hosting duties from New Orleans. It’s not really New Year’s Eve until we get drunk Don Lemon in New Orleans.
There will be guest appearances by William Shatner, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Duran Duran, Amanda Gorman, Patti LuPone, David Arquette, Leslie Jordan, Cheri Oteri and Katy Perry performing from her Las Vegas residency PLAY at Resorts World.
Host: Yvonne Orji
With appearances from Jane Fonda, Megan Stalter, Aparna Nancherla, Dulcé Sloan, X Mayo, and Chelsea Peretti, Yearly Departed is “a raucous, celebratory farewell to” 2021. There’s also a special performance from Alessia Cara.