Plot Synopsis

Each September since 2011, iHeartRadio has hosted a two-day music festival in late September in Las Vegas. The first festival, held September 23-24 in 2011, celebrated the launch of the new iHeartRadio, Clear Channel's free digital radio product. Despite performances by Carrie Underwood, Coldplay, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Steven Tyler and many more, the iHEART RADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL annual TV special didn't find a home on the small screen until VH1 aired the inaugural concert two months later on Wednesday, November 23 at 10pm ET/PT. Since 2012, The CW has aired the festival in late September or early October, first as a one-night, two hour event in 2012 and then as a two-night, four-hour broadcast since 2013.

The 2013 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL, filmed in Las Vegas on September 20 and 21, was broadcast by The CW on two nights: Monday, September 30 from 8-10pm ET/PT and Tuesday, October 1 from 8-10pm ET/PT. Performers on the first night included Katy Perry, Fun., Elton John, Keith Urban, J. Cole, Queen & Adam Lambert, Muse, Tiesto and special guest Robin Thicke, while the second night featured performances by Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Tim McGraw, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Phoenix, Ke$ha, Drake and Miguel.

The 2014 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL, filmed in Las Vegas on September 19 and September 20, was broadcast by The CW on two nights: Monday, September 29 from 8-10pm ET/PT and Tuesday, September 30 from 8-10pm ET/PT. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the first night (at MGM Grand Garden Arena) included performances by Taylor Swift, Motley Crue, Coldplay, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Zac Brown Band, Usher, Bastille, Steve Aoki, Before You Exit, and more. The second night (at The Lot across from Luxor Hotel & Casino) featured Lorde, Paramore, One Direction, Iggy Azalea, Train, Weezer, Calvin Harris, 50 Cent, Eric Church and Ed Sheeran.

The 2015 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL, filmed at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on September 18 and September 19, was broadcast by The CW on two nights: Tuesday, September 29 from 8-10pm ET/PT and Wednesday, September 30 from 8-10pm ET/PT. The first night included performances by Sam Smith, Coldplay, Kenny Chesney, Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, Duran Duran, Lil Wayne, David Guetta, Disclosure, The Killers, Kanye West and Christina Grimmie. Night 2 featured music from Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Fall Out Boy, Blake Shelton, Puff Daddy, Tove Lo, Prince Royce, Diplo, Hozier, Trey Songz, and Nick Jonas.

The CW premiered the 2016 IHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL over two nights on Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7 from 8-10pm ET/PT. Taped two weeks earlier at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 23 and 24, featuring the following acts on Night 1 (U2, Drake, Sia, twenty one pilots, Sam Hunt, Billy Idol, OneRepublic and Los 5) and Night 2 (Sting, Usher, Britney Spears, Pitbull, Ariana Grande, Florida Georgia Line, Zedd, Tears for Fears, and Cage the Elephant).

The 2017 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL, filmed at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 22 and September 23, was broadcast two months later on The CW from 8-10pm ET/PT on Wednesday, November 22 and Friday, November 24, 2017. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, this year's musical acts include: Night 1 (P!nk; Coldplay; The Weeknd; David Guetta; Harry Styles; Miley Cyrus; Thirty Seconds to Mars; Bebe Rexha & Louis Tomlinson); and Night 2 (Lorde; Miley Cyrus; Thomas Rhett, DJ Khaled w/ Quavo, Travis Scott & Chance the Rapper; Kings of Leon; Kesha & Macklemore; Niall Horan). The event was originally scheduled to be telecast two weeks after the concert on two nights -- Wednesday, October 4 and Thursday, October 5 -- but the broadcasts were delayed following the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday, October 1.

The 2018 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL, filmed at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 21 and September 22, was broadcast two weeks later on The CW from 8-10pm ET/PT on Sunday, October 7 and Monday, October 8. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, this year's musical acts include: Night 1 (Jason Aldean, Mariah Carey, Childish Gambino, Jack White, Panic! at the Disco, Kygo, Rae Sremmurd, and Ludacris); Night 2 (Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, Imagine Dragons, Luke Bryan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kelly Clarkson, Shawn Mendes, Logic, Dua Lipa, and 5 Seconds of Summer). The CW also exclusively livestreamed the epic two-day concert event as it happened, September 21 and 22, on CWTV.com and on The CW app.

The CW premiered the 2019 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL from 8-10pm ET/PT on Wednesday, October 2 and Thursday, October 3, 2019. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest and filmed two weeks earlier on September 20 & 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, this year's event features the following musical acts: Night 1 (Camila Cabello, Steve Aoki, Green Day, Backstreet Boys, Heart, Hootie & The Blowfish, Tim McGraw, and more); Night 2 (Halsey, H.E.R., Chance The Rapper, Alicia Keys, Zac Brown Band, Miley Cyrus, Mumford & Sons, Marshmello with Special Guest Kane Brown, and more).

On Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28, 2020 from 8-10pm ET/PT, The CW premiered Nights 1 & 2, respectively, of the 2020 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the virtual two-day mega-concert featured live performances recorded on stages in Los Angeles and Nashville in front of a virtual audience. The event streamed live at 9pm ET/6pm PT on September 18 and 19, before making its television debut nine days later. Musical performances include: Night 1 (Alicia Keys, Migos, Thomas Rhett with Jon Pardi, Coldplay, and BTS); Night 2 (Keith Urban, Usher, Bon Jovi, Miley Cyrus, Swae Lee, and Kane Brown with Special Guest Khalid + Swae Lee).

The 2021 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL debuted on The CW on consecutive nights: Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3, 2021. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the evenings of September 17 and September 18, and The CW Network exclusively livestreamed both nights of the festival via CWTV.com and The CW App. Musical performances include: Night 1 (Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Weezer, Finneas, Nelly, Darius Rucker, Walker Hayes, Cheap Trick and Florida Georgia Line); and Night 2 (The Kid LAROI, Dua Lipa, Khalid,Tate McRae, Journey, Coldplay, Lil Baby, Nelly, Sam Hunt, J. Cole and Billie Eilish).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2022 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL debuted on The CW on consecutive nights from 8-10pm ET/PT: Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the evenings of September 23 and September 24, and The CW Network exclusively livestreamed both nights of the festival via CWTV.com and The CW App. Musical performances include: Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Diplo, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL COOL J, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Sam Smith, Sean Diddy Combs, The Black Keys, Marcus Mumford and more.