The members of successful boy band DuJour, signed to the pop music record label MegaRecords, confront Wyatt Frame, an executive with the label, on their private jet, expressing innocent concern about a strange backing track they have discovered on their recent single "DuJour Around the World". After the band members get into a fight, Wyatt and the plane's pilot parachute out of the jet, leaving it to crash with the band still on board, presumably "killing" them.
Landing outside the town of Riverdale, Wyatt begins searching for a replacement band for DuJour, eventually discovering struggling local rock band The Pussycats: lead vocalist and guitarist Josie McCoy, drummer Melody Valentine, and bassist and backup vocalist Valerie Brown. The group accepts Wyatt's immediate offer of a major record deal despite its seeming implausibility, and they are soon flown to New York City with their manager Alexander Cabot, his sister Alexandra, and Josie's love interest Alan M. Wyatt renames the band "Josie and the Pussycats" without their permission, making them very uncomfortable.