Not everyone is raving about a Bluesfest that’s heavy on electronic music. This week’s announcement of a lineup that includes DJ Tiësto and Grammy winner Skrillex as two of the 12 main-stage headliners has polarized live-music fans in Ottawa like never before. The issue is shaping up to be even hotter than the perennial lawnchair debate.

In one corner are those who dislike the thumping electro beat, question its intrinsic musical value and see it as a waste of two precious headlining slots. In the other corner is a growing mass of young people who are blown away by the fact that Tiësto, whom some describe as the Paul McCartney of the electronic-dance music scene, will headline Bluesfest’s opening night.

Of course, there’s plenty of other music on the bill of the 19th annual edition of RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest, taking place July 4-15 at LeBreton Flats Park. Iron Maiden, Norah Jones, Snoop Dogg, David Gray, Nickelback and Blue Rodeo and dozens more are all headed our way, but the element that has people riled is the emphasis on electronic dance music, or EDM. The former Hard Rock stage is becoming the Electro stage, and the festival’s theme this year is “Electro-fied.”

“I don’t think it should be there,” says David Thompson, a 40-year-old Ottawa musician. “It has nothing to do with blues or even rock music. They’re remixing other people’s music. I don’t think it has a place at a rock or blues festival.”

He’s also one of an increasing number of potential festivalgoers reviving the call for the festival to change its name. “I think Bluesfest is a really misleading name now,” Thompson said. “If it’s going to be called a blues festival, there should be more blues.”

The festival began in 1994 as a weekend celebration of blues and its many forms, but over the years has grown to become one of Canada’s biggest festivals by featuring big-name pop and rock acts like Sting, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Black Eyed Peas and KISS. This year, the blues content will be supplied by a dozen or so acts, including Tedeshi and Trucks, Downchild Blues Band and Marcia Ball, which isn’t enough for veteran festivalgoers like Sue Clark and Mike Leipe. Neither plan to buy a pass this year.

“This year’s line-up seems to have swung so far towards attempting to provide the newest and shiniest music that appeals to young people,” wrote Leipe in a Facebook comment, candidly describing himself as a middle-aged old fart, “that it’s alienated me and the majority of my generally very musically broad-minded friends.”

Others are lamenting the increase in ticket prices and a perceived lack of blockbuster acts. “I already had the time off and I was waiting for a Springsteen or Aerosmith,” says Lanark County resident Rick Killingbeck, 55. “I understand catering to the youth a bit but I just thought with the budget they had they could have made better use of it.”

However, at the other end of the wide-ranging Bluesfest demographic, young people are thrilled, and Bluesfest officials say there was no slump in out-of-the-gate ticket sales.