CBS Reveals Major Country Stars, Rock Legends for New Year’s Eve Show

CBS has revealed that some major country stars and rock legends will be part of the network’s 2024 New Year’s Eve show. New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash returns to CBS on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 PM, ET/PT. The five-hour celebration will feature live, high-energy performances from artists such as Thomas Rhett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Lainey Wilson, Additional information about this year’s lineup of star-studded performers and hosts will be announced at a later date.

The big special will air live on the CBS Television Network, and be available to stream live and on demand for Paramount+ and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs. “Building on what we have established over the last two years by focusing on our artists, the fans and the vibrancy of downtown Nashville, this year’s lineup is shaping up to be our most exciting yet. We will celebrate 50 years of the iconic southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, the skyrocketing Lainey Wilson and country music superstar Thomas Rhett, with over a dozen artists and special guests still to be announced,” said executive producer Robert Deaton.

Deaton added, “Nashville is quickly becoming THE destination for New Year’s Eve, and we are honored that CBS wants to help us continue to show off our music and incredible city with a new multi-year deal!” A press release adds, “Music City has built an outstanding reputation for hosting the most musical New Year’s celebration and country’s biggest party. The annual event features nearly 50 performances from locations across the city, including the mainstage in Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The broadcast will cross multiple time zones, with the traditional countdown at midnight ET, culminating with the renowned Nashville music note drop and fireworks at midnight CT. Past performers include Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert, among others.

Last year, CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash was co-hosted by singer-songwriters Elle King and Jimmy Allen, as well as Entertainment Tonight correspondent Rachel Smith. PopCulture.com had a chance to speak with King about the upcoming event and she teased, “You never know what’s going to happen.” King then quipped, “And can you believe that they’re going to be giving me a microphone?” She also joked that she is “very clumsy” and in many ways didn’t even “know what’s going to happen” herself. 

“So I’m just going to try and look straight ahead,” she added, “They let me make jokes. And I’ll be around some of my friends, and I’m excited to get to introduce a lot of performances. There’s some wild collaborations that I can’t tell you ’cause I don’t want to blow the surprise. But this is definitely a show you don’t want to miss. And I feel very grateful that I get to be a part of people’s New Year. That’s pretty cool.”