- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
Once the ball drops in Times Square, Billy Joel will be the first singer to welcome in 2014 on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.
The ABC telecast will cross the East River to Joel’s concert at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center at five minutes past midnight for a live broadcast from his New Year’s Eve show.
STORY: Billy Joel to Perform Monthly Concerts at Madison Square Garden
“This should be one of our more memorable new year’s eves,” says New Year’s Rockin’ Eve executive producer Barry Adelman. “With Miley Cyrus at 11:40 p.m. and Billy Joel at 12:05 a.m., it should be a great, great night.”
The five-and-a-half hours of music programming Dec. 31 begins at 8 p.m. with the two-hour New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Presents the 30 Greatest Women in Music and continues with the live broadcast from New York City from 10 to 11 p.m. before a half-hour break. Performances continue from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Blondie, Icona Pop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Cyrus will perform in New York; Capital Cities, Daughtry, Jason Derulo, Fall Out Boy, Florida Georgia Line, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Enrique Iglesias, Robin Thicke and the Fray perform in Los Angeles. Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy will be the hosts in Times Square; Fergie is emcee of the L.A. portion.
“We like New Year’s Rockin’ Eve to be a review of the year in music,” Adelman says of the bookings. “It’s people who made a great impact on the charts. Icona Pop was so big throughout the year, Macklemore dominated the charts all year long, and Robin Thicke has the (No. 2) song of the year on the Billboard (Hot 100). We always give artists a chance to do new material as well.”
Last year’s edition of the 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. show posted its highest ratings in 11 years. Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Part 1 was watched by 22.2 million total viewers, 9.7 million of whom are in the 18-49 demographic. It was ABC’s second-most-watched non-sports telecast, behind only the Academy Awards. Part 2 had an average audience of 6.4 million total viewers.
“We have become an American tradition,” Adelman says of a show that began in 1972 aboard the Queen Mary on Long Beach, Calif., with Three Dog Night as the talent. “So many people have grown up with the show.”
Numerous digital activations will occur during the show via Twitter and on abc.com — they are designed to “complement and enhance” the show. “Anybody who wants to join the conversation will have plenty of opportunity,” he says. “It’s something we encourage.”
Related Stories
Related Stories
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day