Travelling into London for a gig sounds like a lot of hassle and, when you’re stuck in city traffic for hours or catching your third train of the evening, you might wonder if it’s even worth it.

However, there’s good news for Kent’s music lovers as it might be easier than you think to see some of your favourite artists performing in the capital this year.

The O2 is London’s biggest arena and has hosted some of the most famous artists in the world, from Madonna to Elton John - and the best part is, for many Kent residents, it’s less than an hour away.

The venue can be reached by car in around 30 minutes from Dartford and Gravesend, 40 minutes from Sevenoaks and West Malling, and it’s less than an hour from Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells and the Medway towns.

There’s also no need to go into central London when driving to the arena so you can avoid the congestion charge, and there’s plenty of parking on-site which you can pre-book ahead of the concert.

You can also hop on the high-speed train, which runs direct from Thanet via Ashford, Dover, Faversham, Canterbury and Medway straight to Stratford International. From there, The O2 is just three stops on the underground’s Jubilee Line.

So, with all that in mind, we’ve got 10 artists performing at the prestigious venue this year that might be worth taking the trip to London to see…

Bring Me The Horizon

Alternative icons Bring Me The Horizon have taken the British rock scene by storm over the past decade. Since the release of their 2013 album Sempiternal, the band has gone from strength to strength, headlining Reading and Leeds Festival and topping the UK Album Charts twice, all culminating in this huge arena show.

When: Saturday, January 20 and Sunday, January 21. Book tickets online here.

The 1975

While frontman Matty Healy’s on-stage antics might have proved controversial in the past, there’s no denying that The 1975 are one of the UK’s best-loved bands. Their legions of young fans have helped the four-piece secure five No. 1 albums, including their self-titled debut, and four nights at The O2.

When: Monday 12, Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 and Tuesday 20 February. Book tickets online here.

Ne-Yo

Grammy Award-winning artist Ne-Yo is taking his Champagne and Roses tour across the globe, including two nights in London. The So Sick singer first rose to fame after writing the hit single Let Me Love You for fellow RnB star Mario, but now the tables have turned as Mario will be supporting Ne-Yo during his UK shows.

When: Wednesday, March 13 and Saturday, March 16. Book tickets online here.

Take That

After more than 30 years in the business and a string of No. 1 singles, Take That are one of the most successful boybands in British history. The former five-piece is now down to a trio, but Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald are still set to put on a show with pop tunes such as Patience, Back For Good, Shine and Never Forget.

When: Thursday 25, Friday 26, Saturday 27, Tuesday 30 April and Wednesday, May 1. Book tickets online here.

Nicki Minaj

Trailblazer Nicki Minaj is heading out on a huge headline tour. The Queen of Rap has broken records, scored chart-topping singles and became the first female rapper to hit 1 billion views on YouTube with multiple solo tracks. Her songs include Super Bass, Anaconda and Barbie World, which featured in the blockbuster Barbie movie last year.

When: Tuesday, May 28. Book tickets online here.

Liam Gallagher

It doesn’t look like an Oasis reunion is on the cards anytime soon, so this is probably the closest fans can get to reliving the band’s glory days. Frontman Liam Gallagher is back on the road, and this time he’s performing the group’s seminal Britpop album Definitely Maybe in full, along with B-sides and lesser-known songs from the era.

When: Thursday 6, Friday 7, Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 June. Book tickets online here.

Girls Aloud

For lovers of noughties pop music, the Girls Aloud reunion was a very welcome surprise. The group announced their return last year and will dedicate their tour, which is set to celebrate hits such as Love Machine, Sound of the Underground and The Promise, to former member Sarah Harding who died in 2021.

When: Saturday 22, Sunday 23, Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June. Book online here.

The Killers

You can’t go to a wedding, club, or pub gig in this country without hearing The Killers’ 2003 single Mr Brightside. It seems only right, in that case, that the Las Vegas rockers return to the UK to celebrate 20 years of their debut album Hot Fuss, as well as anthems from their back-catalogue including When You Were Young and Human.

When: Thursday 4, Friday 5, Sunday 7, Monday 8, Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 July. Book tickets online here.

Noah Kahan

American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan is playing his biggest UK shows to date this year. The Grammy Award nominee is known for his charming folk-pop numbers and has achieved commercial success with singles Hurt Somebody, Stick Season and Dial Drunk.

When: Wednesday, August 21 and Thursday, August 22. Book tickets online here.

Texas

Following their performance on the legendary Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival last year, Scottish rockers Texas are spending a night at London’s O2 Arena. The group, who are best known for ‘90s singles such as Say What You Want, Black Eyed Boy and In Our Lifetime, have won an Ivor Novello Award and been nominated for four BRIT Awards during their 36-year career.

When: Thursday, September 5. Book tickets online.