Music City Celebrates 2026 With New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash

On December 31st, New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash took over Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual celebration is a free concert that attracts more than 200,000 fans each year.

Comedian Burt Kreischer and singer HARDY hosted the event, which featured Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean, and Bailey Zimmerman as the headliners. The event was broadcast live for a nationwide audience to enjoy.

Other performers included CeCe Winans, Dwight Yoakam, Zach Top, Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson, Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Rascal Flatts, Stephen Wilson Jr., and Marcus King.

The celebration puts a Music City twist on the iconic ball drop held annually in New York City. Instead of a crystal ball, a giant music note drops at the stroke of midnight.

Riley Green Covers Toby Keith Live In Nashville

As part of the live New Year’s Eve broadcast, Riley Green performed Toby Keith’s “Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue” from Music City Bar and Grill, a satellite location in Nashville.

Toby Keith released “Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue” on his 2002 album Unleashed. Nicknamed “The Angry American,” the song was inspired by Keith’s father’s death in March 2001 as well as the devastating attacks on 9/11 later that year.

Now considered one of the late country icon’s signature songs, “Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue” went number-one on the US Hot Country Songs chart and has since been certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA.

The patriotic song was perfect for the occasion, as America gets ready to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026.

Watch a clip of Riley Green performing “Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue” for New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash below!

@cbs Can’t think of a better way to spend my NYE than with @Riley Green 🤠 #CBSNashvilleNYE #RileyGreen ♬ original sound – CBS