Sam Smith is just the latest hot ticket in what is set to be our region's big 2015 summer of music. Reporter Andrew fitchett looks at how Norfolk and Suffolk look like being the go-to destinations for pop lovers this year as a constellation of stars come to our part of the world.

Rewind to the start of February and Sam Smith was standing on stage at the Grammys in Los Angeles to be officially crowned the Next Big Thing in pop music.

The 22-year-old scooped four awards that night and performed to an audience which included the brightest stars in the music business.

Now, just three weeks later, he is looking forward to joining some of those luminaries on the bill of Norfolk's big summer of music.

Yesterday, Smith finalised the line-up for this year's Forest Live gigs in Thetford Forest, with the singer-songwriter set to appear at High Lodge on July 3.

Paloma Faith, The Script and Tom Odell are already booked in for the woodland shows, playing consecutive nights on a long weekend from July 2 to July 5.

They will be preceded on May 23 and 24 by BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, the line-up for which is expected to feature some of the biggest names in the pop world.

Taking place in Earlham Park, Norwich, seven-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift has already been confirmed as one of the weekend's headlining acts.

Florence and the Machine will also be making their comeback at the event, with the remainder of the line-up set to be announced over the coming months.

Radio 1 has confirmed that the majority of free tickets for the live music spectacular will be going to people in Norwich and the surrounding area.

Sundown Festival will also be returning on September 4, 5, and 6, with a host of big names from the dance world confirmed to appear.

The festival, which takes place at the Norfolk Showground, will welcome Rudimental, Tinie Tempah, Labrinth, Wretch 32 and Maverick Sabre, among others.

Tickets are already on sale, with weekend camping tickets starting from £105.

And Suffolk will see Latitude Festival celebrating its tenth birthday this summer, taking place from July 16 to 19.

The festival's organisers remain tight-lipped as to who will feature this year, with an announcement expected on music and arts names today.

Damon Albarn, Lily Allen and The Black Keys headlined last year.

Day tickets for the festival go on sale today, priced at £77.50.

• Are you looking forward to our summer of music? Let us know by emailing andrew.fitchett@archant.co.uk