Which American television special, hosted by Dick Clark from 1972, became a major New Year's Eve countdown program?

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve became a major American New Year's Eve countdown program after Dick Clark hosted its first edition in 1972.

The special was created as an alternative to Guy Lombardo's long-running New Year's Eve broadcasts. Its music-focused format connected the midnight countdown with contemporary popular performers and helped make Times Square a national television spectacle.

The first program aired on December 31, 1972, welcoming 1973. Clark hosted the show for many years, and later presenters continued the broadcast after his death in 2012.

The title is sometimes shortened to New Year's Rockin' Eve, but the full modern title includes Dick Clark's name. The program's Times Square segment is closely associated with the annual ball drop, although the broadcast also includes performances and celebrations from other locations.