Nashville’s New Year’s Eve party just got a lot more star power. Plenty of new performers have been announced for New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, including Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Sheryl Crow, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Flo-Rida, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson, The War and Treaty, Ashley McBryde, King Calaway and Steve Miller. Jimmie Allen and Elle King will serve as the evening’s host.
The new musical guests join the previously-announced lineup, which includes Brooks & Dunn, the Zac Brown Band, Kelsea Ballerini and Little Big Town.
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Allen, who like King will also perform as well, is eager to add hosting to his resume, which already includes singing and dancing.
“When I got the call to host, I was super excited and started looking forward to it right then,” Allen says (via Entertainment Tonight). “I was part of the show last year as a performer, so being able to co-host it this year with Elle King and Rachel Smith and see all the great performances that are lined up — it’s going to be awesome.”
“I get to represent not only Nashville and country music but my home state of Delaware – primetime television on New Year’s Eve!” he adds. “Let’s bring this new year in right!”
The five-hour broadcast will feature 50 back-to-back performances, including numerous never-seen-before collaborations, all from various stages in and around Music City. Nashville will first count down with the East Coast at midnight, and then continue until the new year in the central time zone with the city’s own Music Note Drop.
More special guests are expected to be announced in the near future, along with some of the collaborations. New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash will air on CBS on Saturday, Dec. 31 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT; 10:30 PM-1:30 AM, ET/PT), and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.