In New York City, ballad singer Tommy Adano disdains the new rock and roll music even though his manager, Charlie, warns him that rock and roll will eclipse his old-fashioned ballads. When Billboard magazine pans Tommy’s latest release, Tommy takes Charlie’s advice and agrees to appear on a bill with young rock and roller Paul Anka, whose new song has just been named record of the week by Billboard . After the show, the teenage audience mobs Anka but ignores Tommy. Tommy’s lone admirer is Kathy Abbott, an aspiring songwriter who has penned the tune on the flip side of his record. Tommy invites Kathy to dinner and later, as he walks her home, they agree to keep their friendship on a “casual” basis. Before he says goodnight, Tommy asks Kathy to meet him at Wink Martindale’s Rock and Roll Party television show the following day. On the show, when Tommy performs Kathy’s song, written in the form of a waltz, the teenage audience loses interest, prompting Wink to cancel Tommy’s second number. Meanwhile, Charlie meets with Shep Harris, the head of Empire Records, Tommy’s record label, to beg Shep to promote Tommy’s new release. After Shep states that Tommy’s style is a “money loser,” Charlie asks Shep to let Tommy record a rock and roll song. When Charlie proposes the idea to Tommy, however, the singer refuses, certain that he is incapable of singing rock and roll. That night, Tommy attends a rock and roll concert, and after the audience applauds wildly, he becomes depressed and goes to see Kathy at the club where she works as a hat check girl. When Kathy informs him that she cannot simply walk off her job and leave with him, Tommy decides to go home with an attractive fan who has been flirting with him at the bar. After they reach her apartment, the fan plays Kathy’s song, causing Tommy to feel guilty and leave. As Tommy mopes over his estrangement from Kathy, Charlie tells him that Empire is recording several of her songs and sends him to the studio to see her. After Tommy apologizes, they kiss and Kathy convinces him to give rock and roll a chance. Some time later, as Tommy belts out a rock and roll tune, he is rewarded with the adulation of the audience.