Jonas Brothers on hosting a New Year’s Eve concert, plus 5 other ways to ring in 2026

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New Year’s Eve at the Jonas family home in Wyckoff, New Jersey was always lively and full of people. The Jonas brothers – Kevin, Joe, and Nick – grew up in a house where friends and family were always welcome, and they had a tradition of making lots of noise with pots and pans when midnight arrived.

I’m so excited! The Jonas Brothers are kicking off the new year with a huge concert in Miami, and it’s going to be televised and livestreamed on Samsung TV Plus. It’s really special because this is their first time headlining a New Year’s Eve show on their own – they’ve been amazing on ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ for years, but this is something totally new for them!

Jack McBrayer, a friend of the band, will host their two-hour show. The performance will include a mix of their classic songs and newer hits, plus fun games, contests, and interviews.

In a December phone call, Joe explained they were aiming for a completely different kind of New Year’s Eve show. They didn’t want it to feel like a typical New Year’s Eve program, but instead something new and exciting for viewers.

It’s been a huge year for the Jonas Brothers, filled with concerts, new songs, and even a Christmas film. They also celebrated their 20th anniversary as a band in 2024. This summer, they released their seventh album, “Greetings From Your Hometown,” and are currently on a tour that lasts through December. The brothers said that playing on New Year’s Eve feels like the perfect way to end such a memorable year.

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Nick shared that he’s excited for the special to be both entertaining and a memorable way to start the new year, while keeping specific details under wraps.

Nick explained the practice involves thinking about what you’re excited for in the future, what you’re grateful for from the past year, and what habits or feelings you want to leave behind. He believes it’s a common feeling at year’s end – a time for both reflection and hope.

Each of the Jonas brothers has personal goals for 2026—Nick wants to drink less diet soda, Joe aims to become a better home barista, and Kevin hopes to take his daughters skiing. However, their biggest wish for the new year is to keep collaborating and delivering memorable shows for their fans.

We always plan to take it easy on New Year’s, but we always end up doing something fun because we love being together, celebrating, and performing – it’s what we enjoy most. It’s a fantastic way to bring our friends, family, and passion for music together, and we hope to keep that tradition going for many years to come.

In the weeks before the show, the brothers were still brainstorming a memorable moment to match the famous New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square. Someone jokingly suggested bringing out pots and pans, which made them laugh. “It would definitely be loud,” Joe admitted. “We’re still open to suggestions for something special.”

The Jonas Brothers concert starts at 7 p.m. Pacific Time. You can watch it for free on Samsung TV Plus with a Samsung TV or other compatible device. Plus, here are five more options for New Year’s Eve entertainment to ring in 2026.

‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest’ (ABC, Hulu)

As a long-time viewer, I remember when this show first started way back in 1973 with Dick Clark in Times Square – it’s truly become a holiday tradition! Now, Ryan Seacrest is carrying the torch, having co-hosted with Clark since 2006 and essentially leading the broadcast for almost two decades. This year, he’ll be joined by Rita Ora in New York City. But they’re shaking things up a bit! Chance the Rapper will be hosting a brand new countdown live from Chicago, marking the first time the show has covered the Central Time Zone. And out in Las Vegas, we’ll have former NFL player Rob Gronkowski and Julianne Hough keeping the party going. It’s a pretty big expansion of the show, and I’m excited to see how it all comes together!

The show kicks off live from New York at 5 p.m. PST, with celebrations continuing throughout the night in cities like Chicago and Las Vegas. Diana Ross will headline, and the eight-hour event will also feature performances by Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Chappell Roan, Demi Lovato, 50 Cent, Pitbull, and the band Huntr/x. This will be the longest broadcast in the show’s history, wrapping up at 1 a.m. PST.

‘New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash’ (CBS, Paramount+)

If you’re looking for a country music celebration this New Year’s Eve, CBS is hosting a five-hour special featuring some of the biggest names in the genre. Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman will be headlining, with performances also from Rascal Flatts, Megan Moroney, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and Brooks & Dunn. The event will also include special appearances by gospel legend CeCe Winans and the acclaimed Fisk Jubilee Singers, performing from Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

Bert Kreischer, the comedian, and HARDY, the musician, will host the New Year’s Eve celebration starting at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. The night will end with the famous Nashville Music Note Drop at midnight.

‘New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen’ (CNN)

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will ring in the New Year on CNN for the ninth year in a row! The popular pair will host the live coverage from Times Square starting at 5 p.m. PST, with reporters also broadcasting from celebrations around the globe. The show will include musical guests, comedians, and the playful, often tipsy, back-and-forth between Anderson and Andy. After CNN briefly stopped the hosts from drinking on air last year, a wave of fan complaints – and a plea from Andy himself – led to the decision to bring back their signature hourly shots.

The show will feature a variety of guests, including comedians Stephen Colbert, B.J. Novak, Leanne Morgan, and Sarah Sherman. Musical performances will come from Robyn, Shakira, Florence and the Machine, Raye, Brandi Carlile, and Patti LaBelle. Other special appearances include mentalist Oz Pearlman, actress and comedian Amy Sedaris, rapper Flavor Flav, and reality star Ariana Madix, among others.

‘Coast-to-Coast Countdown 2026’ (Nexstar-owned and partner TV stations, online livestream)

Nexstar Media Group’s local stations – over 100 in total – will broadcast “Coast-to-Coast Countdown 2026,” a live event filled with music, celebrity appearances, fireworks, and a dazzling drone show. The show will originate from New York, Dallas, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, and feature performances by Styx, Foreigner, UB40, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Cheap Trick. Viewers on the West Coast can tune in from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. PST.

As a movie buff, I’m excited to hear this special is going to be super accessible! It’s airing on all 116 of Nexstar’s local TV stations, plus in Miami and Boston. But that’s not all – you can also watch it streaming on most of those stations’ apps, like KTLA+. If you prefer watching on a computer or phone, it’ll be available on their websites – KTLA.com, for example – and through their news apps too. Basically, they’re making it really easy to tune in!

‘Wicked: One Wonderful Night’ encore (NBC)

Instead of new live programming this year, NBC will broadcast a two-hour special called “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” which originally aired in November. The special is a celebration of the upcoming “Wicked” movie and its sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” and includes performances, interviews, and behind-the-scenes content featuring cast members like Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode. The performances were filmed live in Los Angeles earlier this year, and Jonathan Bailey appeared in pre-recorded segments.

I was really looking forward to a New Year’s Eve special with Snoop Dogg on NBC, but it turns out it’s not happening this year. He announced a while back that NBC decided to focus on the Olympics instead. He did say we’ll all get to “party together bigger and better” in 2026 though, so I guess that’s something to look forward to!

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2025-12-29 14:03