In the United States, which television special traditionally features the Times Square countdown and performances on New Year's Eve?

In the United States, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve traditionally features the Times Square countdown and live performances on New Year’s Eve.

The special was created by Dick Clark and first broadcast in 1972. It offered an alternative to the more formal Guy Lombardo New Year’s Eve broadcasts and focused on contemporary popular music. Over time, it became closely associated with the midnight celebration in New York City’s Times Square.

Although the title preserves Clark’s name, later editions have used other hosts and presenters. Ryan Seacrest became the principal host in the 2000s, while Clark continued to appear when his health allowed. The program also expanded beyond New York with performances and countdown segments from other locations.

The broadcast is not the event that created the Times Square ball drop; that public tradition began in 1907. The television special is a later media tradition that brings the countdown to viewers across the United States.