GLOBAL SUPER-GROUP ONE DIRECTION RETURNS TO HEADLINE BILLBOARD HOLLYWOOD PARTY ON "DICK CLARK'S NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST 2016"

"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016" Begins Live at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC from New York's Times Square

One Direction returns for its second year to headline the Billboard Hollywood Party as part of ABC's telecast of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016." The group will perform three songs throughout the show during the bi-coastal celebration. They join previously announced performer Carrie Underwood, who will be performing for over 1 million fans in Times Square moments before the ball drops. With over 38 performances and 5 � hours of music, America's biggest celebration of the year will take place on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31 beginning at 8 p.m., ET/PT on the ABC Television Network.

"It's been an incredible year for us, and we can't wait to ring in the New Year with all our fans on New Year's Rockin' Eve," said One Direction. "It's an honor to be back at the Billboard Hollywood Party for our second year."

The show will include hours of special performances and reports on New Year's celebrations from around the globe. Ryan Seacrest will host and lead the traditional countdown to midnight from Times Square in New York City as he has for the last 10 years, with live reporting from actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. Popstar Fergie will oversee the festivities at the Billboard Hollywood Party in Los Angeles.

One Direction - composed of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson - formed in 2010 on the U.K.'s award-winning TV talent show "The X Factor." The group's debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful," was released in September 2011 and went straight to #1 in the U.K. and top five in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100. The group's first album, "Up All Night," followed suit, topping the Billboard 200 album chart. The release of their second album, "Take Me Home," took One Direction to No. 1 in 37 countries. Their third album, "Midnight Memories," was announced as the biggest-selling album globally of 2013. One Direction's fourth No. 1 studio album, "FOUR," featured hit singles "Steal My Girl" and "Night Changes." With "Four," One Direction made Billboard history as the only group in the 59-year history of the chart to see their first four albums debut at number one. The band has sold more than 65 million records worldwide, achieved a total of 137 number ones, and is the recipient of five Billboard Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards and five American Music Awards, among others. They have a massive 117 million combined Twitter followers and 38 million Facebook fans. One Direction surprised fans in July 2015 with the release of their single "Drag Me Down," which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and previewed the band's fifth studio album 'MADE IN THE A.M.,' which was release on Nov. 13, 2015. When fellow album track "Perfect" entered the Hot 100 at No. 10 earlier this month, it marked One Direction's fifth top 10 debut, pushing them past the Beatles for most top 10 debuts in the chart's 57-year history.

"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016" is produced by dick clark productions with Ryan Seacrest, Allen Shapiro and Mike Mahan serving as executive producers and Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are co-executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.

The complete lineup Thursday night, December 31 on ABC is:

8:00 - 11:00 p.m. - "Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016"

11:30 - 1:09 a.m. - "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016, Part 1"

1:10 - 2:13 a.m. - "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016, Part 2"

Facebook: Facebook.com/NewYearsRockinEve Twitter: @officialNYRE Snapchat: OfficialNYRE Instagram: @officialnyre Tumblr: rockineve.tumblr.com Hashtag: #RockinEve Website: newyearsrockineve.com

ABOUT DICK CLARK PRODUCTIONS

dick clark productions (dcp) is the world's largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the "Academy of Country Music Awards," "American Country Countdown Awards," "American Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards," "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest," "Golden Globe Awards," "Hollywood Film Awards" and the "Streamy Awards." Weekly television programming includes "So You Think You Can Dance" from 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group and dcp; and "World's Funniest" from Jukin Media and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world's most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with more than 55 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.