The iconic New Year's Eve television special, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, just delivered its strongest performance in years.
Broadcast on ABC as 2025 turned into 2026, the show achieved its best ratings in four years.
It peaked with over 30 million viewers tuning in at midnight to watch the famous Times Square ball drop — a notable increase from the previous year's 29 million (and in some reports, up 35% from a lower figure the year before that).
This year's edition stood out for several reasons:
- It was the longest in franchise history, spanning nearly eight hours from 8 p.m. ET to 4 a.m. ET.
- It featured an expanded lineup with 42 performers across multiple locations, including New York, Las Vegas, Chicago (with its first-ever live Central Time Zone countdown), and Puerto Rico.
Hosts included Ryan Seacrest (in his 21st year) alongside Rita Ora in Times Square, with co-hosts like Chance the Rapper in Chicago and Julianne Hough (making her debut) plus Rob Gronkowski in Las Vegas.
Standout acts ranged from legends like Diana Ross headlining just before midnight to modern stars such as Chappell Roan, Post Malone, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, and many more.
The special also dominated socially, ranking No. 1 in interactions and video views on New Year's Eve.
Produced by Dick Clark Productions, this enduring tradition — which began back in 1972 — continues to outshine competitors and draw massive audiences year after year.