TUNE IN: MAC MCANALLY TO APPEAR ON NEXSTAR’S “COAST-TO-COAST COUNTDOWN 2026” NATIONAL TELECAST ALONGSIDE FOREIGNER, STYX, THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND, AND MORE TONIGHT
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LOS ANGELES, Calif. (December 31, 2025) – Highly-respected singer/songwriter Mac McAnally will be a featured performer on “Coast-to-Coast Countdown 2026,”an exclusive live New Year’s Eve special on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, from 8:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. PT. The broadcast will be carried across 138 Nexstar-owned and partner stations in 116 markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, and Tampa. “Coast to Coast Countdown 2026” will be produced from four locations across the United States, featuring performances, fireworks, and end of the year fanfare. The broadcast will be staged in New York, Dallas, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. In addition to Nexstar-affiliated stations, WPLG-TV in Miami/Fort Lauderdale will also carry the broadcast. McAnally’s performance is set at Portsmouth, Rhode Island’s Sunset Cove, where the late Jimmy Buffett surprised the crowd during McAnally’s headlining show in 2023.
Viewers can stream the entire show and watch exclusive bonus content live on the platforms of the participating local television stations and they can post comments and video to social media using the hashtag “#Coast2CoastNYE”.
The telecast will feature musical performances, special entertainment, and a countdown to midnight across all time zones in the United States. Viewers will be treated to the midnight ball-drop in New York City with hosts JD Roberto and Marysol Castro, a spectacular fireworks and drone show from Reunion Tower in Dallas, fireworks from Gila River Resorts and Casinos, near Phoenix, with hosts Brad Perry and Teresa Strasser live from the development’s Rawhide Western Town, and an epic 10-minute fireworks show launched from the rooftops of nine hotels on the Las Vegas strip, hosted by Michael Yo and Nikki Novak.
Viewers will ring in the New Year with live musical performances by legendary singers and bands, including:
- Mac McAnally – Legendary singer-songwriter responsible for some of the biggest hits across country music, and ten-time winner of the Country Music Association’s Musician of the Year.
- Styx – The classic rock group will perform iconic songs from their four platinum albums.
- Foreigner – Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famers with over 1 billion streams on Spotify and the record for the longest- running #1 album for Atlantic Records.
- UB40 – Over 100 million records sold, reggae-pop fusion icons with hits that span decades.
- Kevin Cronin – There’s no fighting the New Year feeling with this former lead singer for REO Speedwagon as he takes all his hits on the road.
- Cheap Trick – Featuring a commanding stage presence and dynamic rock n’ roll music with its roots in punk, blues, and the best of guitar riffs, resulting in over 20 million records sold, more than 40 of which have gold and platinum certifications.
- 38 Special – Actively touring for five decades and recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, 38 Special has sold over 20 million records.
- The Marshall Tucker Band – Southern rock sound, resulting in over 30 million records sold.
- Bri Bagwell – Chosen “Female Vocalist of the Year” at the T3R Awards, claiming the title nine times, she was also 2021’s Texas Female Artist of the Decade according to the Texas Regional Radio Report.
Eastern and Central time zone viewers can continue their celebrations with the West Coast audience.
McAnally was awarded the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award earlier this year for his monumental impact on lyrics and music throughout his six-decade career. He’s also featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s new long-term exhibit, “Muscle Shoals: Low River Rising.” In 2025, he’s spent over 70 dates on the road, proving there’s no slowing him down. The 10x CMA Musician of the Year remains steadfast in his love for music and storytelling, and continues to inspire the next generation of musicians with his heart, charm, and timeless words that have shaped American music from the very beginning.
About Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST) is a leading diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms, including more than 316,000 hours of programming produced annually by its business units. Nexstar owns America’s largest local television broadcasting group comprised of top network affiliates, with more than 200 owned or partner stations in 116 U.S. markets reaching 220 million people. Nexstar’s national television properties include The CW, America’s fifth major broadcast network, NewsNation, our national news network providing “News for All Americans,” popular entertainment multicast networks Antenna TV and Rewind TV, and a 31.3% ownership stake in TV Food Network. The Company’s portfolio of digital assets, including its local TV station websites, The Hill and NewsNationNow.com, are collectively a Top 10 U.S. digital news and information property. For more information, please visit nexstar.tv.
About Mac McAnally
Mac McAnally’s journey is one of divine providence and musical mastery. With an astonishing 10 Country Music Association Musician of the Year awards and a place in the Nashville Songwriters Hall, the Mississippi Musicians Hall and the Alabama Music Hall of Fames, McAnally’s contributions to the world of music are nearly unparalleled. Born into a family of Gospel musicians in a dry county, McAnally’s early years were steeped in the rich traditions of Southern music, sacred and secular. Those humble beginnings paved the way for a career marked by extraordinary talent, deep humility and unwavering dedication. As a songwriter, McAnally has penned chart-topping hits for Alabama, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett, while his musical abilities have enriched albums by Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Toby Keith, Dolly Parton, Keith Whitley and George Strait. Despite the numerous accolades and collaborations with music royalty, McAnally remains grounded in his love for the art itself. For the soft-spoken creative force, music is not a career, but a calling—a testament to the joy of melody and the power of storytelling. With each note he plays and every lyric he writes, McAnally continues to inspire and uplift people around the world, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of American music. For additional information, visit MacMcAnally.com.
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