YouTube hosts New Year's Eve Bash

Forget Dick Clark and the Rockin' New Year's Eve party on ABC. YouTube wants you ringing in 2007 with them online.

The video sharing Web site now owned by Google is teaming up with Warner Music Group to produce the first-ever YouTube New Year's Eve Countdown. The promotion, which is sponsored by Chevrolet, will celebrate New Year's as it happens around the world with new videos featured every hour from New Zealand to Los Angeles.

Special video messages from YouTube celebrities, such as Boh3m3, Smosh, Terra Naomi, Renetto, Chad Vadar, and The WineKone, along with artists from WMG labels Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records and Warner Music International will be featured on the home page.

In addition to videos from top YouTube personalities, WMG will provide special video content from New Year's celebrations with its artists as well as music videos and concert footage. "Almost-live" videos from New Year's concerts from New York City, Scotland, Los Angeles, and Houston will be uploaded directly from the venues using mobile phones. Some of the bands playing include, Panic! At the Disco, the Goo Goo Dolls and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Users can upload their videos in a special New Year's YouTube group at www.youtube.com/group/newyears.

Now, I love Dick Clark as much at the next girl. I've grown up watching the man every year of my life usher in the next year. And even though he never seems to age, he is human. And although we hate to say it, one day Dick Clark won't be around anymore.

I know ABC has groomed Ryan Seacrest to be his "heir apparent." But honestly, can Seacrest really compare to Dick? I'm not convinced. Maybe the YouTube New Year's Eve Countdown will be the way the next generation celebrates the new year. Certainly no one would have predicted it a year ago.