Legendary Diana Ross Set to Headline “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” has found its headliner for this year: legendary Motown singer Diana Ross. Ross will top the bill on the longest, most expansive version of the New Year’s Eve staple ever. Here is a look at what to expect from this year’s show.
A Record-Setting Night
This year’s special will be the longest in its history. It will kick off at 8 p.m. and run until 4 a.m. (EST) on ABC, and stream on Hulu the next day. Segments will air live from New York, Puerto Rico, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and more locales. Ross will headline a group of 40 entertainers, which is also a record for the show. Clark started the New Year’s Eve special way back in 1972, and it has been a tradition for millions ever since.
A Look at the Headliner: Diana Ross
Known as the “Queen of Motown,” Ross is one of the most decorated musicians in history. The legendary Supremes singer is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, and she has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (one with the Supremes). She has been honored by the Kennedy Center and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Ross has received two Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Grammys, and she was given a special honor at the Tony Awards in 1977, as well.
Ross is known for enduring hits like “I’m Coming Out,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Touch Me in the Morning,” “Upside Down,” and “Endless Love.” She has won numerous awards, including eight American Music Awards, two Grammy Awards, two Soul Train Awards, a Tony, a Billboard Music Award, a Golden Globe, and a BET Music Award. She will sing a medley of her biggest hits live from Times Square.
The Rest of the Entertainment Lineup
Ross is not the only big name on the bill for the 2025-2026 show. This year’s musical lineup for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” offers something for everyone. Here is a look at the rest of the diverse entertainment lineup for the event:
4 Non Blondes
50 Cent
AJR
BigXthaPlu
Chance the Rapper
Charlie Puth
Chappell Roan
Ciara
Demi Lovato
DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! Starring Busta Rhymes, T.I., & Wyclef Jean
Filmore
Goo Goo Dolls
Jess Glynne
Jessie Murph
Jordan Davis
KPop Demon Hunters: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami
Leon Thomas
LE SSERAFIM
Lil Jon
Little Big Town
Madison Beer
Maren Morris
Mariah Carey
New Kids on the Block
OneRepublic
Pitbull
Post Malone
Rick Springfield
Russell Dickerson
The All-American Rejects
Tucker Wetmore
Zara Larsson
Who Is Hosting?
When Clark started “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” in 1972 to compete with Guy Lombardo’s annual New Year’s Eve special for CBS, Three Dog Night hosted on NBC. George Carlin hosted the following year, before Clark took on the duties for the first time in 1974. Clark’s move from anchoring Times Square coverage to hosting also coincided with the show’s move to its current home on ABC. In 2004, Clark suffered a stroke, and Regis Philbin filled in. Due to lingering health issues, Ryan Seacrest was tapped to co-host starting in 2005. In 2006, the show officially became “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.” Upon Clark’s death in 2012, Seacrest took over as primary host.
Seacrest will be joined in New York by Rita Ora again this year. Chance the Rapper will head coverage in Chicago. Julianne Hough and Rob Gronkowski will co-host in Los Angeles. The hosts for other time zones have not yet been formally announced.
