Metallica think the mixed feelings from music fans about their Glastonbury headline set mean ''people still care''.

The band - who will be the first heavy metal act to top the bill at the Worthy Farm festival this year - along with Arcade Fire and Kasabian, have defended their appearance and insist they're okay with people having strong opinions about them being given the headline spot.

Speaking on Radio 1's 'Rock Show', the band's drummer Lars Ulrich said: ''The fact that everyone's got an opinion I'll take as a good thing because it means that people still care and are still interested and we still have one foot in relevance of some sort.''

He added: ''It's comforting that 33 years into a career you can still manage to stir it up a little bit. Glastonbury is the biggest, greatest festival on this planet and we're headlining Saturday night. Bring it on. We're going to show up and have fun but all the hoopla is interesting.''

The band - also made up of frontman James Hatfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo - have faced criticism from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, who don't feel the band are right for Glastonbury.

Frontman Alex Turner said: ''I heard all the rumours [that they would play]. I'm not sure it adds up. I know we'd buzz off it, but fundamentally could you have Metallica in the hippy nucleus?''

Meanwhile, Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger disagrees and thinks the audience will enjoy the band's set.

He said: ''I've seen them live and they're going to be great.''