Countdown to 2021! Your Guide to the New Year’s Eve Specials
Ring in the new year with your favorite hosts and musical performances!
It’s an annual tradition to turn to ABC, NBC, and others for the countdown to midnight and the hours leading up to it, and some things may be different right now, but that isn’t. You can still celebrate 2021 with your pick of New Year’s shows.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2021 (8/7c, ABC)
Times Square is closed to the public, but Seacrest, Lucy Hale, and Billy Porter emcee the festivities in New York, while Ciara hosts on the West Coast. Jennifer Lopez is the headline performance before the iconic ball drop. Other performers include Porter, Cyndi Lauper, and Jimmie Allen. Porter and Lauper will reunite (after Broadway’s Kinky Boots) for a duet performance.
Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2021 (8/7c, Fox)
Former Community costars Ken Jeong and Joel McHale partner, live from Los Angeles, to recap the best and worst of 2020. Performers include The Masked Singer Season 4 winner LeAnn Rimes (Sun), Gloria Estefan, Doctor Elvis, Call Me Kat‘s Mayim Bialik and Cheyenne Jackson, and Name That Tune‘s Jane Krakowski and Randy Jackson. Leslie Jordan, Morris Chestnut, and Tom Payne are among the guest appearances. Plus, Last Man Standing‘s Tim Allen will share a special New Year’s vlog.
New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen (8/7c, CNN)
The New York buddies return for more giggles. Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin take over at 12:30am/11:30c. Performances and appearances include John Mayer, Snoop Dogg, Patti Labelle, Jimmy Buffett, Carole Baskin, Josh Groban, Leslie Jordan, Dulce Sloan, Desus & Mero, Kylie Minogue, Aloe Blacc, Goo Goo Dolls, and Jon Bon Jovi.
United in Song: Celebrating the Resilience of America (8/7c, PBS, check local listings at pbs.org)
Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, Audra McDonald, Renée Fleming, Patti LaBelle, and more perform at Mount Vernon in this special.
NBC’s New Years Eve 2021 (NBC)
NBC’s New Year’s Eve (10/9c, NBC)
Carson Daly hosts, with Amber Ruffin and Stephen “tWitch” Boss, from NYC. Performers include AJR, Busta Rhymes featuring Anderson .Paak, Chloe x Halle, CNCO, Jason Derulo, Goo Goo Dolls, Kylie Minogue, Pentatonix, Bebe Rexha featuring Doja Cat, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, and Sting featuring Shirazee.
