Wannabe singer Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) leaves Oklahoma for the bright lights of Los Angeles, where her luggage and prized record collection are stolen the moment she steps off the bus.

She is rescued by aspiring rocker Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) who works as a bartender at The Bourbon Room.

He persuades owner Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) and right-hand man Lonny Barnett (Russell Brand) to hire Sherrie as a waitress.

Bare-chested frontman Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) comes between lovebirds Drew and Sherrie, while Mayor Mike Whitmore (Bryan Cranston) and his puritanical wife Patricia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) pledge to clean up the city by shutting down The Bourbon Room.

An interview between Rolling Stone journalist Constance Sack (Malin Akerman) and Stacee leads to heartache and Sherrie swallows her pride to dance at The Venus Club owned by Justice (Mary J Blige).