Dierks Bentley, Dan + Shay and Zac Brown Band will headline a five-hour, 50-performance New Year’s Eve party in Nashville this winter. For the first time ever, this annual celebration will air on CBS.
New Year’s Eve Live! Nashville’s Big Bash will also feature Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn, Kelsea Ballerini and more. The 7PM show will run directly against ABC’s long-running Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve from New York City’s Times Square.
The free show will take place at Nashville’s Bicentennial Mall, but performances will come from across Nashville. Music manager Mary Hilliard Harrington and the CMA’s Robert Deaton will serve as executive producers.
The TV element expands and amplifies a downtown celebration that has included 200,000 fans during non-Covid years. Keith Urban regularly headlined the Nashville show in recent years, with portions shown locally. He’s not on the list of performers, but more are to be announced in the coming months.
Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, Gabby Barrett and Cole Swindell are a few more who are confirmed for the Dec. 31 show. In addition to being on CBS, it will be available to stream on Paramount+.
ABC’s model has featured host Ryan Seacrest live in New York City, segueing between satellite parties across the country. The performances have been a mix of live and pre-recorded moments. Dan + Shay in particular have been favorites, performing on New Year’s Eve 2018 and 2019 from New York City and Hollywood, respectively. In 2018 they performed soaking wet as the city experienced some heavy rain. Lady Gaga shared the stage with them on that day.
A full list of announced performers for New Year’s Eve Live! Nashville’s Big Bash is below:
2021 New Year’s Eve Live! Nashville’s Big Bash Performers:
Blake Shelton
Brooks & Dunn
Cole Swindell
Dan + Shay
Darius Rucker
Dierks Bentley
Elle King
Gabby Barrett
Jason Aldean
Jimmie Allen
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Zac Brown Band
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