When I looked at the 2008 Bonnaroo lineup, I saw a band on the bill that made me have to blink a few times to make sure that my contacts weren't smudged. Right there, near the top of the bill.

Metallica. Kings of thrash metal. A legendary group in the minds and hearts of metalheads with an absolutely rabid fanbase.

But the more I talked to people, so many people thought they didn't belong on the bill. That they weren't appropriate headliners for the 4-day music and camping festival in Manchester, Tenn. The question is why?

When I talked to friends and other fellow music fans and mentioned that Metallica is on the bill, they all had a similar response: "Metallica? At Bonnaroo?"

Of course, the metal icons got a similar reaction when they joined the touring Lollapalooza festival in 1996. The Lollapalooza tour died only in 1998, and I'm sure some people probably see a direct correlation between the metal band and the tour's demise.

If you type in "Metallica" and "Bonnaroo" on Google, you will see numerous message boards talking about their headlining spot at the festival. Some say they will travel to see the group, who haven't played a concert in years. Others think the addition of the speed metal icons have killed Bonnaroo's vibe.

Is it the fact that it is metal music? Can't be. Nobody raised this kind of stink when prog-metal group Tool and Sabbath-meets-Zeppelin revivalists Wolfmother played Bonnaroo in 2007. Heck, even this year, equally ferocious metal groups Mastadon and The Sword are on the bill.

So, in my opinion, it's got to be their fans. Their occasionally animalistic, intense, devil-horn raising fans that will travel far to see them. The usual peace-loving festival goers might think the group's fans could kill the vibe. Or maybe it's the idea of drummer Lars Ulrich ever-so-publicly calling for a bounty on Shawn Fanning's head for starting Napster which ultimately led to the current digital music revolution. Then again, they may have memories of the 1999 Woodstock, which brought together Limp Bizkit, Korn, Kid Rock and Rage Against the Machine. People could equate too much heavy music to leading to that festival's theme of peace, love and arson. But remember, Metallica played the 1994 Woodstock and that turned out alright, although a little muddy.

For all of those people who think Metallica are ruining Bonnaroo and won't go because of their presence, I say GET OVER IT! The featival organizers want bands that will draw large crowds and a variety of music fans. And aren't there about 15 stages at Bonnaroo, including a comedy tent and a silent disco? I'm sure you can find something to do. Even if you don't go see Metallica, you're still getting your money's worth. But more importantly, Metallica has built a good part of their reputation by being a great live band. The original 2002 Bonnaroo was touted as a jam band festival and sought to pack a bill with groups that have earned similar "you have to see them live" status. But now, Bonnaroo has gotten more diverse, and this is a good thing. It just seems kind of silly for people to shun a festival that is just trying to be everything for everybody. Then again, they could hang a sign on the gate that says "No Metal Gods Allowed."