Lineup of the hottest acts for 2015 is music to SA ears

Springsteen and The Foo Fighters are so last year.

South Africans enjoyed a feast of big-name concerts in 2014 and can look forward to an even more spectacular lineup in the new year.

One Direction, One Republic, The Script, Martin Garrix and American Idol winner Phillip Phillips are just some of the offerings this year.

Multiple Grammy-winning crooner Michael Bublé will also be popping in for local performances.

Grammy award-winning artist Jason Mraz will perform for the first time in South Africa next month while the 80s Rewind Festival starting at the end of the this month will feature icons Billy Ocean, Go West and Heather Small from M People, among others.

James Blunt, who last performed in South Africa in 2008, will also light up the stage next month.

Justin van Wyk of Big Concerts said: "We've worked 10 to 15 years to bring someone like Bruce Springsteen here and that was one of the biggest highlights for 2014."

But even The Boss might be overshadowed when the world's biggest boy band, One Direction, jets into Johannesburg in March.

Not since Beatlemania has there been such fanfare.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what pandemonium they bring to South Africa. They've closed down streets, shopping malls and airports in other countries," said Van Wyk.

The first Johannesburg show on March 28 at the FNB stadium sold out in 20 minutes and tickets for the Cape Town show on April 1 sold out in three hours.

The band's security team has already met Big Concert organisers to plan logistics.

Irish pop/rock band The Script will play to audiences next month , supported by American Idol winner Phillips.

And as if that's not enough, Bublé will do a three-city tour in the same month.

Durban, which has traditionally been left out when it comes to the big acts, seems to have curried favour with Big Concerts this time round.

Van Wyk said his company was impressed with the audience turnout for John Legend's All of Me tour last year and that there could be some treats in store for Durban this year.

Van Wyk said that two big urban pop stars would play in South Africa for the first time in the second half of the year.

"We can't say who they are yet, we're still talking to them, but they are big female pop stars," he said.