ABC's 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' Hits 4-Year High in TV Ratings

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The Big Night for ABC

The final night of the year is always a major event for television viewers, and 2025 was no different. As expected, ABC emerged as the top network for New Year's Eve programming, drawing in millions of viewers for its annual special.

ABC's dk Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve** special averaged 18.8 million viewers during the 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET hour on December 31st to January 1st, according to early Nielsen ratings. This marked a four-year high and a 5% increase from the previous year's average of 17.92 million viewers. While these figures don't include out-of-home viewing or the full scope of Nielsen's big data component, they still highlight the show's strong performance.

ABC estimates that 30 million people were tuned in at midnight ET, with the entire night of festivities attracting around 34 million viewers who watched at least a few minutes of the special. The 18.8 million viewers for ABC made up the majority of the audience in the hour leading up to the start of the new year on the East Coast.

Competitors in the Ratings Race

Other networks also had their own New Year's Eve specials, but none matched ABC's dominance. CBS's New Year's Eve Live drew 5.3 million viewers from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Meanwhile, CNN and NBC saw lower numbers. CNN's special, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, averaged 2.6 million viewers from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., while NBC's A Toast to 2025 had 2.13 million viewers from 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Both shows likely saw higher numbers in their final hours.

In primetime, ABC continued its strong showing, drawing 7.03 million viewers from 8-10 p.m. and 10.59 million from 10:30-11:30 p.m. The late-late night segment also performed well, with 8.25 million viewers from 12:30-2 a.m. All four parts of New Year's Rockin' Eve saw year-over-year growth, with the 12:30 a.m. portion experiencing an 85% increase in viewership.

CBS, on the other hand, saw declines in both primetime and late-night segments, averaging 3.9 million viewers from 8-10 p.m. and 4.88 million from 10:30-11:30 p.m. CNN's full-night coverage improved by 38% compared to 2024, while NBC opted out of the late-night New Year's Eve game last year.

Behind the Scenes of the Special

New Year's Rockin' Eve is produced by dk Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Corporation, the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter**. The production is part of a subsidiary joint venture between Penske Media and Eldridge.

As more final ratings become available, updates will be added to this story. For those interested in watching, dk Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve** is available on various streaming platforms. Ryan Seacrest even made a special appearance ringing in the new year by closing the Nasdaq bell ahead of the event.

For more information on where to stream the special, check out the latest updates from The Hollywood Reporter.