Dick Clark Dies At 82: A Look Back At New Year's Rockin' Eve Over The Past Decade [VIDEOS]

Dick Clark, one of the most iconic figures in American entertainment, died on April 18th of a heart attack in Santa Monica, Calif. The 82-year-old was famous for hosting the television dance show American Bandstand and his traditional New Year's Eve bash..

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve has been a landmark American tradition for ringing in the new year. Since 1975, the iconic music legend has hosted a New Year's Eve bash in the heart of Times Square, featuring the hottest musical acts from that year in ancipation of the ball drop countdown. This year's celebration marked the 40th anniversary of Clark's annual end-of-the-year party, with Ryan Seacrest hosting the celebratory event.

Before the New Year's tradition made it's way to ABC, Clark produced two other New Year's specials for NBC. The first was aired in 1972 and was called Three Dog Night's Year's Rockin' Eve 1973, and was hosted by rock band Three Dog Night. The second special began the name that came to be known for years to come, and was called New Year's Rockin' Eve 1974. The late comedian George Carlin hosted the event which featured musical acts such as Tower of Power.

In 2004, Clark suffered a stroke that left him hospitalized and prevented him from hosting the special. Regis Philbin took his place, with various artists and guests on the show wishing Clark well throughout the night. Personalities such as Andersoon Cooper and Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg also spoke on the New Year's Eve special.

The following year Clark returned with co-host Ryan Seacrest, who has taken the lead role in the program ever since.

He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life, Seacrest said in a statement to the New York Daily News. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel.

In honor of the American Bandstand emcee's death, here's a look back at some memorable Rockin' Eve moments from the past 10 years.

The crowd at Times Square in 2001