The first televised Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast aired in 1972.
The program debuted on December 31, 1972, under the title “Three Dog Night's New Year's Rockin' Eve,” with Dick Clark serving as host. It was created as a contemporary alternative to the more formal big-band New Year's television specials that dominated the period. The show combined popular music performances with live coverage of the Times Square ball drop.
The title later incorporated Clark's name as he became closely associated with the broadcast. After Clark's death, Ryan Seacrest continued as the main host, while the program retained its annual Times Square setting and musical format. The debut year is sometimes confused with the year the show first used its best-known title, but the original broadcast was in 1972.