In a move set to redefine the concept of a road trip, and entice travelers from all over the country to visit the Volunteer State by car, Tennessee has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative that promises to repair its winter-beaten highways that are still riddled with potholes and transform them into a vibrant auditory experience unlike any other.
As the last bit of ice melted from January’s fierce storms, the state’s Department of Transportation, in collaboration with Tennessee Tourism, Tesla, and leading car manufacturers like Volvo, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Mercedes inked a deal — just today being made public — introducing an innovative campaign to fill the state’s potholes … not just with any asphalt, but with a rainbow of colors and a symphony of sounds (keep reading as to how). The roads should all be completed later this spring.
Dubbed “Tennessee’s Melodic Motorways,” this initiative will see potholes across the state filled with asphalt in every color imaginable, from the serene violet of the Smokies at dusk and the electric blue of a Nashville neon sign to the sunlit yellow of a field of Tennessee sunflowers and the deep purple of a twilight sky over the Mississippi River. But that’s not all. Atop each color-filled canvas, music notes will be painted. And, each music note will represent a note in a brand new song.
That’s right. As these ‘smart cars’ drive over the painted notes, the cars will be collecting the data for each note. It’s basically tech magic!
These cars are equipped with smart technologies — a standard feature in the newest Tesla update as well as newer models from Volvo, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Mercedes. As they drive over these music notes, they won’t just navigate a more colorful and smooth roadway — they’ll be composing music. Using advanced AI technology, these vehicles will capture the sequence of notes their tires roll over and, upon the journey’s end, compile them into a song unique to each driver’s route.
While the primary aim is to enhance the beauty and safety of Tennessee’s highways, the state hopes this harmonious highway will also boost tourism. Imagine the social media buzz as travelers share their personal road trip soundtracks, each one a souvenir of their journey through the Volunteer State’s stunning landscapes.
And, in true Tennessee tradition, highways near Memphis will create Blues melodies; highways near Nashville will lean more country, and highways in East Tennessee will favor Bluegrass. This will entice people to drive the entire state, exploring Tennessee’s amazing small towns and byways.
“The ice damage from this past January’s winter storms impacted Tennessee’s roads significantly, which led to this unprecedented opportunity. We knew we had a chance to create something really special,” said Christy Lee Smith, Tennessee’s Director of Scenic Highways’ Special Projects*. “Tennessee’s Melodic Highways truly showcases the resilience of this state and the heart of its creativity.”
From the soulful streets of Memphis and neon-lit honky tonks of downtown Nashville to the serene backroads of the Smokies, your musical Tennessee road trip awaits, with the promise of new melodies at every turn.
However, not everyone initially sang the same tune about this innovative project. Songwriters across the state raised concerns about the use of AI in music creation, fearing it might tread on the toes of human creativity. Fortunately, a compromise was struck. The songs generated while traveling Tennessee’s Melodic Motorways will be purely instrumental, celebrating Tennessee’s musical heritage without words, thus preserving the sanctity of songwriting while still embracing innovation.
The response to this announcement has been a mix of disbelief, excitement, and a dash of skepticism — all very fair, considering today’s deepfakes, photo editing, and crazy AI stories. It’s tough to fathom that this is at all possible. Especially when published on StyleBlueprint – on April 1.
Gotcha :)
The Tennessee’s Melodic Motorways Initiative is actually just our April Fool’s joke.
However, if this could ever happen, it would be pretty magical!
All images here were made with various AI technologies.
* This name and position does not exist. Any similar names or positions are simply coincidental.Â
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Don’t miss last year’s April Fool’s Day article — Clear Boots? College Football’s New Rule to Prevent Rowdy Crowds.
