Ryan Seacrest will stay with iHeartMedia until 2025.

[ackh70]

www.insideradio.com/free/ryan-seacrest-signs-new-three-year-deal-with-iheartmedia/article_654c2d64-2086-11ec-8849-c78fd1b95a9e.html

When the contract expires he will long surpass Casey Kasem as the longest continuing host of AT40 (Beginning in 2022). Overall Kasem was the host between 1970-88 & 1998-2004 (26). Which means he will still needs 5 more years to tie the total amount if he stays relevant enough. 

It was expected, but at the same time, I was kinda hoping a change might give the show a new feel as well (Sisanie or Shannon Burns from Bell Media in particular).

That said, I doubt many people outside of Mario Lopez can do what Seacrest with the show; When it's guest hosts (Musicians) it feels less important to me than when Seacrest is on, but he tends to rush or show little interest in some songs on the chart due to his "schedule". The only thing he's missing now from his schedule is a nightly news segment it feels  .

Still congratulations on being the host of American Top 40 for two decades running. Never thought I would see this coming. 

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[Mike]

2022 will see two, technically three, benchmarks:

When we hit the week of February 19, Ryan will have surpassed Casey's original 18 year, 1 month run.
When we hit the week of April 9, the show's second run will have passed the entirety of the run of the first, as it aired Stateside. (The original first run on U.S. radio - not including exceptions - was July 4, 1970 to July 9, 1994; with the second run beginning March 28, 1998, it hits 24 years on April 2.)
October 29 is when the show's second run will pass the entirety of the first run, with the last six months-and-change international included.


To be the longest-tenured host altogether, Ryan would have to make it to December 4, 2027. This contract would put him within two years of that - though I see no inkling that this 3-year extension is going to be the last one, which means this thread title is perhaps a bit misleading in that regard.

(P.S.: Yes, 2/19/22, 4/9/22, 10/29/22, and 12/4/27 will all be weekend show dates. )

[OldSchoolAT40Fan]

I wonder what will become of AT40 after Ryan's contract expires in 2025? Even though I do not listen to Ryan's AT40, I would hate to see such an iconic show go off the air, but as the saying goes "all good things must come to an end." I wonder if Ryan choosing to depart iHeartRadio may be an indicator that AT40 is struggling in the ratings and Ryan may be out of a job by 2025. Or, could budget cuts be a reason?

In either event, I think there's a good chance that this latest run of AT40 will celebrate the milestone 25th anniversary, unlike the original run which was cancelled just over five months before a milestone.

[mrjukebox]

If Ryan were to walk away from "AT40" after 2025,he'd still have his gigs with Kelly Ripa,"American Idol" & "New Year's Rockin' Eve".

[BrettVW]

Yeah, I don't read any of that as Ryan will leave in 2025. I read it as the current contract goes until then with the usual assumption of renewal.

[dth1971]

Nov 14, 2021 17:12:05 GMT -5 BrettVW said:

Yeah, I don't read any of that as Ryan will leave in 2025. I read it as the current contract goes until then with the usual assumption of renewal.

2025 would mark 30 years since the old AT40 (Then hosted by Shadoe Stevens) ceased in January 1995 until Casey Kasem revived it 3 years later in 1998.

[statenislandfan]

Ryan isn't going anywhere in 2025. He will continue to voice track the countdown.

[DJ Particle]

Nov 28, 2021 14:51:11 GMT -5 statenislandfan said:

Ryan isn't going anywhere in 2025. He will continue to voice track the countdown.

This.  At this point, Ryan Seacrest has become *the* host of AT40 for the show's target demographic, much as Kasem was for most of us back in the day.  If iHeart ever decides Seacrest isn't pulling in the numbers anymore, then they'd likely just cancel the show along with him, just as ABC did with the original AT40 after its ratings tanked.