Anatolian rock is what happens when Turkish folk music, psychedelic rock, and the bağlama (saz) collide. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Istanbul, a generation of musicians — Barış Manço, Erkin Koray, Cem Karaca, Moğollar, Selda Bağcan — invented a genre the world didn't have a name for yet. Fifty years later, Altın Gün rediscovered it, won a Grammy nomination, and suddenly Anatolian psych-rock was on every cool playlist in Brooklyn and Berlin.
Why It Works
30 essential Anatolian tracks from the 1960s psych-rock pioneers (Barış Manço's Daglar Daglar, Erkin Koray's Cemalim, Moğollar's Mogol Halayi) through the political folk of Cem Karaca and Selda Bağcan, into the Grammy-nominated revival by Altın Gün, and including the 90s-00s Turkish pop legends (Tarkan, Sezen Aksu, İbrahim Tatlıses). Plus the arabesk giants Orhan Gencebay and Zeki Müren. A 2-hour crash course in Turkish popular music.
Why Mixtuby
Anatolian music is hard to find on Western streaming platforms — regional licensing is fragmented, many classic tracks are not on Spotify. On Mixtuby we have curated the 30 essential tracks in chronological order (60s psych, 70s folk, 90s pop, 2010s revival) so you can hear the full evolution. Altın Gün's Yolcu leads into the Erkin Koray track that inspired it. Press play.
History
Anatolian rock began in 1965 when Erkin Koray released the first Turkish rock-and-roll single. By 1968, Moğollar were fusing Turkish folk with British psych-rock. Barış Manço formed his band Kaygısızlar and became the godfather of Turkish rock.
In 1969-72, Cem Karaca's band Apaşlar recorded politically charged folk-rock that got banned from state radio. Selda Bağcan became the female voice of Anatolian resistance music — her albums Dost Merhaba (1971) and Türkülerimiz (1975) defined protest folk. The 1980 military coup effectively ended the original Anatolian rock era.
The genre was dormant until 2013 when Netherlands-based band Altın Gün started covering classic Turkish psych — they released 5 albums, won a Grammy nomination (2019), and triggered the Anatolian revival.
Legacy & Influence
Anatolian rock influenced every Turkish musician for 50 years and is now the hottest export in European indie music. Altın Gün's success proved there is a massive international audience for reinterpreted Turkish psych. The band Baba Zula continues the experimental tradition.
Turkish rapper Ceza samples Anatolian folk. Tarkan (Şımarık, the kiss kiss song) became one of the best-selling European artists of the 90s-00s. Sezen Aksu is the queen of Turkish pop — she wrote hits for Tarkan, discovered Sertab Erener, and influenced every Turkish female artist since.
İbrahim Tatlıses and Orhan Gencebay represent the arabesk tradition — an entirely separate genre blending Arab maqam with Turkish lyrics that sells stadiums across the Turkish diaspora.
Perfect For
Learning about Turkish music
Dinner at a Turkish restaurant
Discovering Altın Gün's influences
Long drives through Anatolia
Warming up for Balkan music
Studying 60s-70s global psych
Hookah lounges
Mediterranean vacation soundtrack
Istanbul city break
Fans of Khruangbin, Altın Gün, Tame Impala
How to Listen
1
Start with Baris Manço's Daglar Daglar — the defining Anatolian rock track
2
Altın Gün's Yolcu is the 2019 revival hit — compare with Erkin Koray's original
3
Selda Bağcan's İnce İnce is the female vocal benchmark — get the Finders Keepers reissue
4
Tarkan's Şımarık (Kiss Kiss) hit number one in 12 countries — it closes the playlist
For the friend who knows every B-side. We chose these the way a record-store owner would — with care, a sharp eye, and prices that won't make you feel ripped off. Small gestures, big smiles.
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Anatolian Music — FAQ
What's the best gift for a Anatolian Music fan?
It depends on the kind of fan. Top picks: The Vinyl Collector: Altın Gün — On (Vinyl LP) · The Casual Fan: Anatolian Rock T-Shirt (Vintage Style) · The Audiophile: Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones · The Decorator: Turkish Music Poster — Istanbul Nights. See the Gift Ideas section above for a hand-picked guide by buyer type.
What is Anatolian rock?
Anatolian rock is a Turkish genre combining Western rock instrumentation (electric guitars, drums, keyboards) with traditional Turkish folk melodies, rhythms, and instruments like the bağlama (saz) and darbuka. It emerged in the late 1960s in Istanbul with artists like Erkin Koray, Barış Manço, and Moğollar. The genre was suppressed after the 1980 Turkish coup but revived globally in the 2010s by the Dutch-Turkish band Altın Gün.
Who is Baris Manço?
Barış Manço (1943-1999) was the most influential Turkish rock musician of all time — known as the Turkish David Bowie for his flamboyant stage presence and genre-spanning catalog. His TV show 7den 77ye (From 7 to 77) ran for 10 years showcasing traditional cultures worldwide. His songs Daglar Daglar, Nane Limon Kabuğu, and Arkadaşım Eşşek are Turkish cultural landmarks.
Who is Altın Gün?
Altın Gün is a Dutch-Turkish band formed in Amsterdam in 2016 by Jasper Verhulst (who played bass in Jacco Gardner's band). They reinterpret classic Anatolian rock and Turkish folk songs with psychedelic rock instrumentation. Their 2018 album On was nominated for a Grammy (Best World Music Album, 2019) and made Anatolian rock internationally popular for the first time in 40 years.
Is Anatolian music the same as Turkish music?
Not exactly. Anatolian specifically refers to the folk traditions of the Anatolian peninsula (modern Turkey) and to the 1960s-70s Anatolian rock genre. Turkish music is a broader term that includes Ottoman classical, arabesk, Turkish pop, and contemporary Turkish rap. This playlist focuses on Anatolian folk-rock and its modern revival, but also includes Turkish pop giants like Tarkan and Sezen Aksu for completeness.
Who is Tarkan?
Tarkan is the best-selling Turkish pop artist in history. His 1997 song Şımarık (known in the West as Kiss Kiss) reached number one in 12 European countries and sold over 15 million copies — one of the best-selling Turkish songs of all time. He is often called the Prince of the Bosphorus. His blend of Turkish pop with international dance production made him the first Turkish artist to break through globally.
