Final answer:
Bill Haley embraced the rock and roll genre to appeal to the rebellious youth culture and break into mainstream success, shifting away from his country image and renaming his band to the Comets.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bill Haley dropped his country image and changed his group's name to the Comets as he was influenced by the growing popularity of rock and roll and the transition marked a shift to appeal to the youth culture of the time. The band's hit song "Rock Around the Clock" became a youth anthem, signaling a shift away from adult control and resonating with the theme of rebellion prevalent in rock and roll. Haley's transition also mirrored the broader cultural phenomenon of White artists such as Elvis Presley achieving mainstream success by incorporating musical styles from the African American community, thus beginning to break down racial barriers in the music industry.