Diana Ross to Headline ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’

Music icon Diana Ross has been announced as the headlining performer for "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" to welcome 2026. The ABC broadcast, which begins at 8 p.m. ET, will feature the legendary singer taking the main stage in New York's Times Square. Her appearance anchors an expansive show featuring 39 musical acts across locations including Las Vegas, Chicago, and Puerto Rico, consistently drawing the largest American television audience for a New Year's Eve event.

Ross is expected to perform a set of her signature hits, such as "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down." The latter track recently experienced a significant resurgence after being featured in the fifth season of Netflix's "Stranger Things," bridging her legacy with a younger audience. In a statement, Ross expressed a theme of shared hope: "Together we begin a new year. Let's embrace a new beginning, new opportunities, new joy — a celebration of love, where we all come together as we begin 2026." The performer is renowned for historic live events; her 1983 free concert in New York's Central Park drew an estimated 800,000 people, a record crowd that underscored her lasting appeal.

Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora will co-host the evening, joined by a roster of celebrity correspondents. Chance the Rapper is slated to make history by hosting the first-ever Central Time Zone countdown broadcast live from Chicago. Reports from Las Vegas will be handled by former NFL star Rob Gronkowski and dancer Julianne Hough, with correspondents for the Puerto Rico segment to be announced later.

The full lineup showcases a strategically eclectic mix of artists designed to appeal to a multi-generational audience. Alongside Ross, it includes legends like Mariah Carey and 50 Cent, current hitmakers Post Malone and Demi Lovato, K-pop group Le Sserafim, country acts Jordan Davis and Little Big Town, and legacy bands New Kids on the Block and the All-American Rejects. This curation is a calculated response to fragmented viewership trends. "Blending heritage acts with contemporary stars is essential for creating a shared cultural moment in today's media environment," notes Dr. Lena Shaw, a pop culture analyst. "It's a formula that builds communal viewing, which is invaluable for live event ratings."

The special is produced by Dick Clark Productions, a company founded by radio and television host Dick Clark, who was famously the original host of "American Bandstand." Now owned through a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation (PMC)—publisher of *Variety* and *Rolling Stone*—and the investment firm Eldridge, the broadcast represents a major commercial enterprise. Since its 1972 debut, the show has become a television institution, leveraging its corporate backing to secure top talent and maintain its status as a holiday fixture.