CNN Planning Fourth of July Concert Special With A-List Talent

CNN has announced another Fourth of July concert special to air on Independence Day. The news network has recruited Dana Bash, Boris Sanchez, Victor Blackwell, and Cari Champion to host the who from different locations around the U.S. It will feature performances by Post Malone, Demi Lovato, Zac Brown Band, Leon Bridges, Sheryl Crow, Darius Rucker, Alanis Morrisette, Duran Duran, Flo Rida, Smash Mouth and The Plain White Ts.

CNN’s The Fourth In America is a celebratory special about the festivities around the country, not unlike the network’s annual coverage of New Year’s Eve. This will be the fourth year in a row that CNN hosts its Independence Day special, giving viewers a look at fireworks displays around the country – including the nation’s capitol Washinton D.C. It will also feature a performance by the U.S. Air Force Band, according to a report by Deadline.

Last year’s Fourth of July special featured musical performances by Pitbull, Maren Morris, and Machine Gun Kelly, among others. The shows were well-received, and although their ratings are not easily accessible, the network is clearly continuing to bet on this premise. Still, at this point, it hasn’t quite reached the level of recognition that New Year’s Eve and other holiday specials have.

CNN is in a transitional time right now after the abrupt departure of its CEO Chris Licht. Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that Licht would be leaving immediately. It’s not clear exactly why, but several of Licht’s decisions as head of CNN were called into question and he had been characterized very negatively in a profile in The Atlantic the week before.

Licht was behind some controversial decisions like the rebranding of CNN This Morning and the rearranging of some talent on camera. After his departure, many fans wondered if recently-fired anchor Don Lemon might be rehired, or if other unpopular changes might be reversed. Before this point, Licht was best known for helping to launch MSNBC’s Morning Joe as an executive producer, and for being a showrunner on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for several years.

At a time of such uncertainty, many fans will likely feel encouraged by the continuation of a special like The Fourth in America. The program starts at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 4 on CNN.