Pop icons The Hollies coming to Hawke's Bay

British pop sensations the Hollies will play Church Road next year.

The group that gave the world The Air That I Breathe and He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother will tour New Zealand in February before heading to Australia.

A Sunday, February 3 show at Church Road Winery, Taradale, is one of four stops added after a sold-out show by the band in Auckland in 2011.

The 50th Anniversary Tour will feature "top shelf" production, promoters say, staying true to the original recordings - "bringing them to life".

The Hollies have had 22 top 10 hits and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Since emerging as an important component of the sixties "British-pop revolution" the group's hallmark sound has not wavered during its 50 years of recording and performing live around the world.

Frontman is now Peter Howarth and he is expected to deliver a faultless performance consistent with the tradition of harmonies and classic popular music arrangements.

In the 1960s the Hollies had more hit singles than the Beatles.

Along with the Rolling Stones and the Searchers it is one of a few British pop groups of the era that never officially broke up and continued to record and perform.

Tickets can be bought at www.ticketek.co.nz