Eurovision Song Contest Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Eurovision Song Contest Wiki

Türkiye participated in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 1975, represented by Semiha Yankı performing Seninle Bir Dakika, but did not achieve any considerable success until the late 1990s. They withdrew from the 1979 contest in Jerusalem, a major disappointment for the selected performers Maria Rita Epik & 21 Peron, who would have performed the song "Seviyorum".

In the first two decades of their participation, Türkiye had only cracked the top ten once. Things started to change, however, in 1997, when Şebnem Paker placed third with Dinle. And with the 100% televoting rule in place, along with the free-language rule, Türkiye started to hit their stride, climaxing with Sertab Erener's victory in Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with Everyway That I Can.

Since the creation of the semi-finals in 2004, Türkiye managed to qualify to the finals all but once, in 2011. They also had a number of top ten placings with Athena, Kenan Doğulu, Mor ve Ötesi, Hadise, and MaNga, the latter two becoming fan favorites.

Türkiye has not participated since the 2012 contest, citing the unfairness of the 50:50 voting rule and the Big Five. Despite an intent to participate, it was announced that it would not return for 2016 nor for 2017. And despite encouragement from Turkish Eurovision alumni, they didn't participate in 2018 either, and despite fan demand, don't plan to in the near future.

Nevertheless, Eurovision remains popular within Türkiye, with highly active fan clubs and enthusiastic viewers every year.

Gallery[]

Participants[]

Year Artist Song Language Place Points Semi Points
1975 Semiha Yankı Seninle Bir Dakika Turkish 19 3 No Semi Final
19761977 Did not participate
1978 Nilüfer & Nazar Sevince Turkish 18 2 No Semi Final
1979 Maria Rita Epik & 21.Peron Seviyorum Withdrew from competition
1980 Ajda Pekkan Petr'Oil 15 23 No Semi Finals
1981 Modern Folk Trio & Ayşegül Dönme Dolap 18 9
1982 Neco Hani? 15 20
1983 Çetin Alp & The Shortwaves Opera 19 0
1984 Beş Yıl Önce, On Yıl Sonra Halay 12 37
1985 MFÖ Didai Didai Dai 14 36
1986 Klips ve Onlar Halley 9 53
1987 Seyyal Taner & Locomotif Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne 22 0
1988 MFÖ Sufi 15 37
1989 Pan Bana Bana 21 5
1990 Kayahan Gözlerinin Hapsindeyim 17 21
1991 İzel, Reyhan & Can İki Dakika 12 44
1992 Aylin Vatankoş Yaz Bitti 19 17
1993 Burak Aydos Esmer Yarim 21 10 Participated in 1992
1994 Relegated from participation
1995 Arzu Ece Sev Turkish 16 21 No Semi Final
1996 Şebnem Paker Beşinci Mevsim 12 57 7 69
1997 Dinle 3 121 No Semi Finals
1998 Tüzmen Unutamazsın 14 25
1999 Tuba Önal Dön Artık 16 21
2000 Pınar & The SOS Yorgunum Anla Turkish, English 10 59
2001 Sedat Yüce Sevgiliye Son 11 45
2002 Buket Bengisu & Grup Safir Leylaklar Soldu Kalbinde 16 29
2003 Sertab Erener Everyway That I Can English 1 167
2004 Athena For Real 4 195 Host of 2004
2005 Gülseren Rimi Rimi Ley Turkish 13 92 Top 12 in 2004
2006 Sibel Tüzün Süper Star Turkish, English 11 91 8 91
2007 Kenan Doğulu Shake It Up Şekerim English 4 163 3 197
2008 Mor ve Ötesi Deli Turkish 7 138 7 85
2009 Hadise Düm Tek Tek English 4 177 2 172
2010 maNga We Could Be The Same 2 170 1 118
2011 Yüksek Sadakat Live It Up -- -- 13 47
2012 Can Bonomo Love Me Back 7 112 5 80
2013–present Does not participate
Eurovision Song Contest
Editions
195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Countries
AlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandIsraelItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroMoroccoThe NetherlandsNorth MacedoniaNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSerbia and MontenegroSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited KingdomUkraineYugoslavia
Winning Songs
RefrainNet Als ToenDors, mon amourEen beetjeTom PillibiNous les amoureuxUn premier amourDanseviseNon ho l'etàPoupée de Cire, Poupée de SonMerci, ChériePuppet on a StringLa, La, LaBoom Bang-a-BangVivo CantandoUn jour, un enfantDe TroubadourAll Kinds of EverythingUn banc, un arbre, une rueAprès ToiTu Te ReconnaîtrasWaterlooDing-a-DongSave Your Kisses For MeL'Oiseau et l'enfantA-Ba-Ni-BiHallelujahWhat's Another YearMaking Your Mind UpEin bißchen FriedenSi la vie est cadeauDiggiloo DiggileyLa Det SwingeJ'aime La VieHold Me NowNe Partez Pas Sans MoiRock MeInsieme: 1992Fångad av en stormvindWhy Me?In Your EyesRock 'n' Roll KidsNocturneThe VoiceLove Shine a LightDivaTake Me To Your HeavenFly on the Wings of LoveEverybodyI WannaEveryway That I CanWild DancesMy Number OneHard Rock HallelujahMolitvaBelieveFairytaleSatelliteRunning ScaredEuphoriaOnly TeardropsRise Like a PhoenixHeroes1944Amar pelos doisToyArcadeZitti e buoniStefaniaTattoo
Specials
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision's Greatest HitsEurope Shine a Light
Aspects of Eurovision
CommentatorEuroClubEurovision VillageExecutive SupervisorFlag ParadeGrand PrixGreen RoomHead of DelegationInterval ActNational FinalNational JuryOfficial RulesOpening CeremonyPre-PartiesPre-Song PostcardsReference GroupRest of the World VoteRunning Order DrawSemi-FinalsScoreboardSpokespersonTelevotingVoting Systems
Miscellaneous
Big FiveCurse of 43Curse of Number TwoCurse of GreenDouze Points!ESCRadio AwardsESC Top 250Eurovision AgainEurovision National BroadcastersEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire SagaFounding SevenLGBT visibilityLynda WoodruffMarcel Bezençon AwardsNul PointsOGAERecordsStand-insThe Reorder BoardTie SituationTop Scoring SongsVoting DiasporaWinner's CurseWithdrawn SongsYou're a Vision Award
Advertisement