Avril Lavigne, Korn, Limp Bizkit and Sum 41 are the first batch of those slated to pay tribute to Metallica in "mtvICON: Metallica," the third installment in MTV's annual series.

The artists will perform Metallica covers before an audience on May 3 in Los Angeles for the taped 90-minute special, which will air May 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, according to a network spokesperson. Metallica -- singer James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett and new bassist Robert Trujillo -- will cap off the concert with a performance themselves.

Additional performers and artists who will give testimony to the pivotal metal band's impact on music will be announced later.

Two months after "mtvICON: Metallica," the group will hit the road with Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Deftones, and Mudvayne on the Summer Sanitarium trek (see [article id="1470135"]"More Dates Added To Metallica/ Limp Bizkit/ Linkin Park Tour"[/article]). The metal titans will release St. Anger, their first new album in five years, on June 10.

MTV launched its "ICON" series in 2001 with an homage to Janet Jackson. "mtvICON: Aerosmith" aired the following year.