POP MUSIC : Will Lollapalooza Be Getting a Metallica Paint Job? : Other artists being considered for ’96 tour include Soundgarden, Bjork, Patti Smith and Waylon Jennings.

Is Lollapalooza still Lollapalooza if it’s headlined by a superstar heavy-metal band?

That’s the question being debated by the organizers of the annual alternative-rock trek as they negotiate with Metallica to headline the sixth edition of the tour this summer.

“It’s a good festival with Metallica and it will sell a lot of tickets, but it’s not Lollapalooza,” says one person close to the situation. “It would be just a money-making event, not something important.”

Others associated with the tour, though, point out that Metallica’s independent stance was an inspiration for harder-edged alternative bands such as Soundgarden, which is also a candidate for this year’s lineup.

But some of the other artists being courted for the tour would make for a pretty odd mix. Among those at the top of the list at this time: Icelandic imp Bjork, punk godmother Patti Smith and--at Metallica singer James Hetfield’s insistence--veteran country outlaw Waylon Jennings.

“Lollapalooza needs a shot in the arm,” says Los Angeles-based concert promoter Andy Hewitt, citing the decreased attendance at Lollapalooza ’95. “That lineup could do it.”

But despite Lollapalooza’s promotion of eclecticism, fans at past shows have been notoriously unforgiving. Last year, more than half the audience at most dates left when Hole was followed by pioneering alternative band Sonic Youth, and industry experts say that the careers of such acts as the Jesus and Mary Chain, Lush and Nick Cave were irreparably damaged by indifferent responses at Lollapalooza.

“I imagine they’d have a narrower range of tastes with Metallica and Soundgarden,” says Megan Frampton, editor-in-chief of the alternative-music trade publication CMJ. “They’re such a one-two punch that you might not get people as interested in the other bands.”

That situation could be heightened by plans calling for the tour to avoid major-city sites in favor of more out-of-the-way field settings. Some promoters believe that this would skew the audiences to a demographic of young males who would be willing to drive for several hours and possibly camp out before or after the concert.

But don’t worry about the Metallica fans. They’ll be happy to see the band under any circumstances.

“With Metallica fans, they’re going to come out if you put them on a bill with ‘Sesame Street Sing-along,’ ” says CMJ metal editor Jenni Glenn. “In some cities they might throw bottles at the stage, but who knows? Try it and see . . . and cross your fingers.”