As a cord-cutter myself, I understand the struggle of finding the best way to watch New Year’s Eve (NYE) specials without traditional cable. Luckily, there are numerous streaming options available that cater to every taste and budget.
Firstly, if you’re a country music enthusiast, I highly recommend checking out Paramount+ with Showtime for their live broadcast of “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.” While the Essential plan doesn’t offer live streaming access to your local CBS channel, the premium plan does. Plus, it gives you access to a vast library of movies and TV shows.
If you prefer pop music or comedy, CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live From Times Square,” hosted by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, is an excellent choice. With global coverage from London, Paris, Austin, and more, this broadcast offers something for everyone. You can stream it on Hulu + Live TV, which also provides access to other live and on-demand content.
For those looking for a free option, I suggest tuning into ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.” This classic NYE special is available for free on the ABC app or website without requiring a cable login. Just be prepared to deal with commercial breaks!
Lastly, let’s not forget about our friends across the pond. If you want to party like the Brits do, tune into BBC America’s “New Year Live: Edinburgh’s Hogmanay” for a taste of Scottish traditions and live music. This event is also free on the BBC America app or website without requiring a cable login.
And as they say in my homeland (Italy), “La vita è una festa, e la notte del capodanno dovrebbe essere la festa della festa!” So grab your dancing shoes, your favorite drink, and let’s ring in the New Year with a smile on our faces!
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As the new year approaches, whether you’re planning a low-key celebration at home or organizing an elegant party, we’ve gathered suggestions for streaming some outstanding New Year’s Eve 2025 specials online.
At a Glance: Where to Watch 2025 New Year’s Eve Specials Online
- When: Dec. 31 starting at 6 p.m. ET
- Channels: ABC, CBS, CNN
- Stream online: DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Max (for CNN only), Paramount+ (for CBS only), Sling
To catch New Year’s Eve specials on your television, tablet, smartphone, laptop, or even cast them onto a larger screen via an Apple or Android device, you’ll need to have a subscription with a cable service or a video-on-demand streaming platform (SVOD). Most modern TVs come equipped with SVOD apps, but if yours doesn’t, you can connect it to a streaming device like the Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, or Roku.
As a gamer, I can hop onto my favorite cable channels’ websites directly and stream content using my current TV account credentials, be it from DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu Live TV, Sling, Verizon, or Xfinity – there are plenty of options out there to choose from.
Looking Forward, The Hollywood Reporter has compiled a list of top-notch New Year’s Eve specials streaming online in 2025 for your viewing pleasure.
Times Square New Year’s Eve Celebration (free webcast)
Ceremony start time: Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET; ball drops at midnight local time
How to watch online for free: VNYE, livestream.com, timesquarenyc.org
2025’s New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square, featuring the iconic ball drop, will once again be hosted by Jonathan Bennett and Jeremy Hassell. The star-studded event promises an exciting lineup of musical performances, including Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers, TLC, Rita Ora, Mark Ambor, Kapo, and several others. To add a special touch, Mickey Guyton will serenade us with John Lennon’s “Imagine” just before the ball descends at midnight.
In addition to musical acts, the webcast will feature a display of Chinese culture, with presentations by both the Sino-American Friendship Association and the dance group AGNEW from New York City.
As for the famous ball drop, New York City Mayor Eric Adams will push the crystal button.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025 (ABC)
Show start time: Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET
How to watch ABC online: ABC.com (cable account required), DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV
On ABC television, the 53rd edition of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” begins at 5 p.m. Pacific Time (8 p.m. Eastern Time) straight from Times Square. Co-hosted by executive producer Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora, the live event takes place there. On January 1, 2025, you can stream this event on-demand through Hulu.
The NYC festivities will showcase a variety of performances: Alanis Morissette and Renee Rapp, Carrie Underwood along with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Megan Moroney, the Jonas Brothers, Laufey, Lenny Kravitz, Cody Johnson, Dasha, Ernest, Hardy, Kesha, Natasha Bedingfield, T-Pain, Teddy Swims, Thomas Rhett, Tinashe, and TLC will all perform. DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! show will also be a part of the New York celebration, featuring Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, while Blake Shelton will join us directly from his Las Vegas residency.
Dyanara Torres is set to be the host for the celebrations taking place in Puerto Rico’s time zone, and it’s been announced that Luis Fonsi will be performing there.
Dick Clark Productions is part of the Penske Media Eldridge group. This group is a subsidiary and collaborative effort between Penske Media, the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter, and Eldridge.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS and Paramount+)
Show start time: Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET; repeat broadcast at 10:30 p.m. ET
As a long-time cord-cutter who has relied on streaming services for my entertainment needs, I can confidently say that there are multiple ways to watch CBS online without a cable subscription. My personal favorite is Hulu + Live TV because it offers a wide variety of channels at an affordable price, and it includes CBS in its lineup. However, if you’re already a DirecTV or Paramount+ with Showtime subscriber, you can also access CBS content through those services. Just remember that some shows may require a cable account to stream on CBS.com directly. So, if you’re looking for a hassle-free way to watch CBS online, I highly recommend checking out Hulu + Live TV or one of the other streaming options available.
2025 New Year’s Eve revelers can catch the live broadcast of “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” on CBS or stream it live on Paramount+ with Showtime (Please note that only the Paramount+ Premium plan offers access to live streaming of your local CBS channel). This five-hour special will be jointly hosted by four-time Grammy winner Keith Urban, Rachel Smith from Entertainment Tonight, CMT TV’s Cody Alan, and WCBS-New York weather anchor Lonnie Quinn. Apart from a performance by Urban, the event will feature sets from Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Lainey Wilson and others. For more details, check it out here.
New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen
Show start time: Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET; global coverage begins at 7 a.m. ET from London
How to watch CNN online: CNN.com (cable login required), Max, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling
For the past eight years, Anderson Cooper (who has been hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast for more than two decades) and Andy Cohen will be in charge of CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live From Times Square. Coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET with the event airing live. The global coverage kicks off at 7 a.m. ET, with Laura Coates reporting live from London. Boris Sanchez will be on location in Paris starting at 2:45 p.m. ET. As we approach the Central Time Zone countdown, CNN correspondents Sara Sidner, Harry Enten and Cari Champion will take over in Austin, starting their coverage at 11:30 p.m. CT/12:30 a.m. ET.
2021’s lineup features artists such as 50 Cent (from his residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas), Mickey Guyton (performing John Lennon’s “Imagine” before the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square), Sting, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, Diplo, Roy Wood Jr., Patti LaBelle, Lil Jon, and the co-hosts of “Have I Got News For You,” Michael Ian Black and Amber Ruffin. Additionally, comedians including Whitney Cummings, Adam Devine, Amy Sedaris, Ziwe, Sasheer Zamata, and others will make an appearance.
From various locations globally, we have other contributors such as Richard Quest stationed at Madame Tussauds, New York City; Randi Kaye in Key West, Florida; Stephanie Elam in the Bahamas; and Gary Tuchman in Prescott, Arizona.
How to Stream New Year’s Eve 2025 Specials Online for Free
If you’re looking to ditch traditional cable, here are some top recommendations from The Hollywood Reporter’s streaming TV experts for watching New Year’s Eve 2025 specials online. Check out our selections and discover which platforms provide free trial offers.
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2024-12-31 03:55