London’s New Year’s Eve Fireworks is one of the world’s most watched annual live events, bringing millions of people together in a shared moment broadcast across the UK and internationally.

For the 2019/20 celebrations, the show marked the arrival of a new decade for the capital. Staged along the River Thames and centred around the London Eye, the event combined large-scale fireworks, lighting and music to welcome 2020 with more than 100,000 people gathered along the river and millions more watching the broadcast worldwide.

This edition marked ON THE SLY’s first year working on the show, collaborating with lead creative agency Jack Morton as music directors and soundtrack producers for Europe’s largest annual firework display.

Music played a central role in shaping the narrative of the programme, guiding audiences through the story of the night while supporting the visual choreography unfolding across the Thames at midnight.

The soundtrack celebrated London’s global cultural influence while also recognising the city’s role as a host of UEFA EURO 2020, with football references and anthemic moments woven into the build towards the midnight finale.

Working closely with creative, technical and broadcast teams, ON THE SLY developed a soundtrack that integrated precisely with fireworks, lighting and projection across the riverfront stage, helping transform the midnight moment into a shared global broadcast spectacle.

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ON THE SLY has delivered music direction and soundtrack production for multiple editions of London’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, helping shape one of the world’s most widely watched annual live events.

This project forms part of our work creating soundtracks for fireworks and drone shows around the world.