Music detective Jim Dawson reveals the real story of rock 'n' roll's beginnings like it's never been told before. It's all here, from the song's murky origins and Bill Haley's early struggles as a professional musician, to the record's explosion through motion pictures like The Blackboard Jungle and Haley's resulting success and eventual burnout. Dawson makes the case that Rock Around the Clock - besides being the first national No. 1 rock 'n' roll hit - killed Tin Pan Alley and heralded the beginning of modern youth culture.

More from Backbeat