Epic 2026 Upgrade! Times Square's New Constellation Ball Shines Brighter Than Ever

As revelers from around the world get ready to ring in 2026 in New York City's Times Square, preparations are underway for a New Year's Eve celebration packed with live performances.

Crowds have gathered to watch the ball drop from atop the skyscraper at One Times Square on New Year's for more than a century. At this year's festivities, organizers are planning a star-studded lineup of entertainment featuring Diana Ross, Ciara, Maren Morris, Little Big Town and more.

But it's not the only New Year's celebration with A-list performers on tap. Some top country music stars usher in 2026 on CBS' "New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash," with Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and CeCe Winans just a few of those taking the stage.

Here's what to know about who is scheduled to perform, and when, this New Year's Eve.

New Year's Eve celebrations officially kick off in Times Square at 6 p.m. ET with the lighting and raising of the ball that will drop at midnight. The evening features performances from some big names in the entertainment world:

Legendary singer Diana Ross is scheduled to perform a medley of her hit songs, including "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down," on the Countdown Stage in Times Square beginning at 11:37 p.m. ET on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC. Ross is the recipient of two Grammy Awards for Lifetime Achievement — one as a solo artist and one with the Motown group The Supremes — as well as a Tony, multiple American Music Awards, a Golden Globe and Kennedy Center Honors.

Grammy-winning singer Ciara's Times Square performance is expected to air sometime between midnight and 12:30 a.m. ET on "New Year's Rockin' Eve," according to an ABC spokesperson. Twenty-one of the R&B artist's songs have made it onto Billboard's Hot 100 chart, including her 2004 hit "Goodies," which claimed the No. 1 spot for seven weeks. Earlier this year, Ciara released "CiCi," her first album since 2019.

Country music group Little Big Town is scheduled to play a medley of their hits starting at 9:35 p.m. ET on "New Year's Rockin' Eve." The band has been together for over a quarter-century with 32 songs making Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, including their 2014 hit "Girl Crush," which was No. 1 for 13 weeks. Along the way, Little Big Town was named vocal group of the year six times by the Country Music Association and four times by the Academy of Country Music, and they've won three Grammys.

Country music star Maren Morris is scheduled to perform a medley of her songs starting at 10:33 p.m. ET on "New Year's Rockin' Eve." The singer-songwriter, who released her latest album "Dreamsicle" earlier this year, rose to stardom with her 2016 hit "My Church." The song won her a Grammy and peaked at No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Swedish pop star Robyn is scheduled to sing her 2010 songs "Dancing on My Own" and "Call Your Girlfriend" as well as her new single "Dopamine" starting at 9:18 p.m. ET on CNN's "New Year's Eve Live." "Dancing on My Own" was named the top song of the 2010s by the Associated Press' music editor. More recently, a writer for Britain's The Guardian likened it to Donna Summer's "Last Dance" and Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."


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