While there won’t be a “Countdown Chicago” this year, one tradition from the long-running WLS-Channel 7 special lives on.
Since 2018, news anchor Terrell Brown and meteorologist Cheryl Scott have been dancing in the new year with an elaborately choreographed routine shot at one or more Chicago landmarks. A slick video of this year’s footwork is set to be unveiled Wednesday night, but this year, instead of unspooling during the “Countdown” special, it will debut during an earlier-than-usual local newscast from 9 to 9:30 p.m.
The change is part of an expansion of ABC’s long-running national special “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” consistently the top-rated TV countdown. In the past, after the East Coast-focused show covered the ball drop at New York’s Times Square, WLS-Channel 7 would cut in and bring local viewers some Central Time merrymaking on the custom-made “Countdown Chicago.”
Chance the Rapper to host live segment around midnight from Chicago
This year, for the first time, “Rockin’ Eve” is taking over the Midwest coverage and bringing the Central Time countdown to viewers coast to coast. That means no “Countdown Chicago” — and no live shots of partiers whooping it up at local hotel ballrooms or giddy ABC7 news anchors moonlighting as hype men (and women).
Instead, Chance the Rapper will host a live national segment around midnight local time from the Chicago Riverwalk at West Wacker Drive and North Franklin Street, spitting bars as a live audience shivers.
“At the end of the night, I’m going to be performing the song called ‘No More Old Men.’ I truly believe it’s probably the most important song that I’ve written,” Chance said in an interview posted by ABC7. “I think it encapsulates childhood in a way that I haven’t really been able to get across and also manhood in a way that I don’t think is expressed a lot in music.”
‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ lineup features Diana Ross, Chappell Roan
Chance will be part of a “Rockin’ Eve” lineup ranging from up-and-comers Jessie Murph and Tucker Wetmore to legends Mariah Carey and Diana Ross.
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora host the extravaganza from Times Square, with NFL star Rob Gronkowski and “Dancing With the Stars” co-host Julianne Hough fronting segments from Las Vegas.
Ross, billed as the night’s musical headliner, is set to perform a medley of her hits at Times Square.
In all, 39 musical acts are set to perform on the venerable ABC special, the most ever in its 50-plus-year history. They also include:
- Current chart-toppers Chappell Roan and Post Malone
- Veteran pop acts 4 Non Blondes, Charlie Puth, AJR, Demi Lovato, Goo Goo Dolls, Jess Glynne, Madison Beer, Mariah Carey, New Kids on the Block, OneRepublic, Rick Springfield and the All-American Rejects
- Rappers 50 Cent, BigXthaPlug, Busta Rhymes, T.I. & Wyclef Jean and Pitbull
- R&B singers 6lack and Ciara
- Country artists Filmore, Jordan Davis, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Russell Dickerson and Tucker Wetmore
- Social media star Jessie Murph
- EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, the singing voices of “Huntr/x” from “KPop Demon Hunters”
- International pop acts Le Sserafim and Zara Larsson
Most of the performance segments were taped in advance. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” begins at 7 p.m. on WLS-Channel 7 and streams starting Thursday on Hulu.
How to watch national New Year’s Eve specials
Meanwhile, some other channels will also be counting down in their own distinctive ways:
- On WBBM-Channel 2 (7 p.m.-12:30 a.m.), CBS presents comedian Bert Kreischer and “Wait in the Truck” singer Hardy hosting “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash,” featuring country stars Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.
- On WMAQ-Channel 5 (9:30-11:30 p.m.), NBC deploys Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager for “A Toast to 2025,” a lighthearted recap featuring the commentary of comedians and journalists. A fireworks roundup follows.
- On “CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live” (7-11:30 p.m.), the cable channel again pairs news anchor Anderson Cooper with his irascible pal Andy Cohen for live wisecracking at Times Square.