AMusical genreIndependent states
Anatolian rock
A 1960s–70s genre that fused Turkish folk melodies with electric guitars and rock rhythms.
In the 1960s young Turkish musicians began blending Western rock with türküs and folk tunes. Hürriyet newspaper's Golden Microphone contest (1965) encouraged the search by asking young bands to give local songs a new treatment.
Cem Karaca, Barış Manço, Erkin Koray, Moğollar and Edip Akbayram are the genre's leading names, and songs such as "Dağlar Dağlar", "Resimdeki Gözyaşları" and "Tamirci Çırağı" are still widely sung.
In the 21st century Anatolian rock has been rediscovered worldwide: old records are being reissued and bands such as Altın Gün take the sound to international festivals.
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Updated: October 2, 2026