Let’s talk about Keith Urban, folks. The four-time Grammy winner just had one heck of a comeback moment after what insiders describe as a challenging 2024. Thanks to his CBS-backed, Nashville-based New Year’s Eve broadcast, Keith is not only back in the spotlight but also eyeing up more TV opportunities in the year ahead. A source exclusively tells Closer that Keith is looking to re-establish himself in the country music community after a less-than-stellar year for his career.
Here’s the inside scoop: If someone had told Keith at the start of 2024 that his new album would flop but that he'd land a massive U.S. broadcast TV franchise, he might’ve thought they were pulling his leg. But guess what? That’s exactly what happened. And here’s the kicker—CBS is thrilled with how things turned out. “They should’ve recruited Keith years ago,” says the source. “He’s just that good.”
2024 Was a Rough Ride for Keith Urban
At 57, Keith faced one of the toughest album cycles of his career with High, released in October. It didn’t perform as well as everyone hoped, debuting at a disappointing No. 38 on the Billboard 200. In a year when country music is booming in American culture, this was a real shock to Keith’s team. As Life & Style reported back in October, Keith was struggling to deal with the failure of his 12th album. “Keith needs to shake things up if he wants to stay relevant,” a source told the outlet. And boy, did he ever shake things up!
Read also:Donnie Wahlberg Steals The Show In Dunkinrsquo Super Bowl Ad A Blockheadrsquos Delight
Keith Urban’s New Year’s Eve Show Was a Game-Changer
Even before High hit the shelves, Keith was tapped to host Nashville’s 2024 CBS New Year’s Eve special. And let me tell you, it went off without a hitch. The five-hour show featured over 40 performances and was delivered to a live audience of more than 220,000. Keith took the stage alongside Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Fans online were calling it “magic,” despite a few technical hiccups at the start.
“This is a tradition worth keeping,” says the insider. “CBS will continue to do this special as long as Keith is willing to.” Now, here’s the thing—Keith’s show puts him in direct competition with ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, hosted by his pal Ryan Seacrest, and CNN’s booze-fueled Anderson Cooper/Andy Cohen show. But Keith’s a good guy, and he gets it. These three shows cater to different audiences, and Keith is still country music royalty.
From Disaster to Triumph: Keith’s Year in Review
It could’ve been a disaster, but instead, Keith turned a tough year into something special. Country fans, and there are millions of them, loved seeing Keith in this new light. He took a difficult year and ended it with a bang. “He ended the year in high style!” says the source. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to see that?
