The history of rock n' roll and pop music are explored are explored via interviews and footage of well-known music stars.

Interestingly, in 1995, two 10 hour mini series about the history of Rock & Roll aired on television. One was this (produced by Time-Warner), and the other was PBS' "Rock & Roll". It is important to know that this is not the documentary that was aired on PBS. This is a lighter take on the history of rock & roll, focusing more on the entertainment aspect as opposed to the more "documentary" orientation of the series that aired on PBS. This is the first of 10 part series on history of Rock n Roll. Each of the parts are arranged in chronological order and this episode deals with the very beginning of Rock n Roll from early '50s to mid '50s. All time early Rock n Roll greats like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Louis appears to show the formative years of Rock n Roll. Rock music in the beginning was not widely accepted due to all of its players being of black ethnicity. Sam Phillips of Sun Records were recording black rock n roll musicians but couldn't break the barrier, until Elvis Presley walked in the door. Sam Phillips immediately knew that this was his ticket, and attached a band to Elvis to promote him as his star. The first episode is based on these developments, as rock music gradually finds its way into mainstream America

摇滚乐在披头四、猫王之后，乐风出现了转折。社会上一片颓废、荒芜，音乐上也大胆地向美好的美国梦挑战。首先，性手枪合唱团将朋克音乐导入主流风潮，然而，虽然他们名闻遐迩，但颠峰状态并没有维持太久，终究没有到达1960年代披头四、滚石合唱团的地位。其它摇滚乐团如MC五人组、地下丝绒乐团、佩蒂史密斯乐团、门都蔚为风尚，他们的曲风可说前所未见，虽然有时略为粗糙，但表现形式更为愤怒、暴烈、狂野、震撼，也是迷幻年代的最高峰。这个时期文化上的特色即是大环境弥漫了反社会的意识型态、虚无的忧郁、疯狂的性爱与毒品、脱缰的暴力与一片浑沌。 本集介绍了朋克音乐的起源，包括Iggy Pop及纽约玩偶乐团。看朋克音乐如何在纽约大整合，包括理察海尔、电台司令及佩蒂史密斯乐团。并介绍朋克音乐在英国的兴衰，及The Clash最早期的演出。

本集介绍美国乐坛重量级的民谣摇滚歌手鲍伯迪伦，他在1960年代中期为美国摇滚乐坛注入民谣的乐风，让整个乐坛有着不同以往的气息。有着“民谣摇滚诗人”之称的鲍伯迪伦在1965年的民歌演唱会还差点引发暴动，而为他刚起步的歌唱生涯掀起旋风。摇滚乐在1960年代接受了嬉皮与反战运动的洗礼后，经历了一次转型。 片中还为观众介绍难得一见的抒情摇滚先驱“柏德合唱团”的演唱片段；The Mamas & the Papas创造了新的California Dreamin版本；海滩男孩的布莱恩威尔森回忆当年面对披头四的压力。而影片的重头戏就是美国最伟大的吉他手吉米汉醉克斯，他神乎其技的弹指神功可说是四十年来无人能出其右，片中介绍他在蒙特娄流行音乐节时所引发的风潮，以及多位音乐人表达对他的景仰与敬意，这其中当然必包括贯穿全集访谈片段的吉他之神艾力克莱普顿。

本集以极大的篇幅让观众重返1960年代的美国社会，体验1060年代末期摇滚乐反传统次文化的兴衰。当时的美国不仅反政府也反战，整个社会有着相当反体制的情绪，这个风潮不但反映在电影如《我俩没有明天》、《午夜牛郎》等名片中，也反映在最有普及性和流行性的音乐创作上。其中最为人所津津乐道的便是1969年8月在纽约州的小镇上举办数十万人次的音乐盛会——Woodstock音乐节，这个音乐节完全的反应当时社会的氛围，以及人民的复杂情绪。 此外还可以欣赏到The Grateful Dead、山塔那及Jefferson Airplane同台演出，Janice Joplin、Big Brother和The Holding Company一块热情演唱Ball and Chain，并重温Woodstock的盛况。

Mega-promoter Colin Beverly plans to sabotage the New Year's 1983 concert of small-time operator Max Wolfe. Wolfe's assistants Neil Allen and Willie Loman find romance while trying to save the drugs, violence, and rock and roll from Beverly's schemes.

A man visits Alcatraz prison after having dreams about all the people who died there. When he gets there, his brother is possessed by an envil cannibal demon. The ghost of a female heavy metal singer who was killed there tries to help the man fight the monster.