Türkiye made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1975 and to date, the country has made 34 appearances. Like neighbouring Greece, the new millennium saw a reversal in Türkiye's fortunes at the Eurovision Song Contest and Sertab Erener went on to win in Riga in 2003 with 'Everyway That I Can'.

Until Türkiye won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, the country had only finished in the top ten on three previous occasions. When Sebnem Paker finished third in 1997 with Dinle.

The 2004 Eurovision Song Contest held in Istanbul was a breakthrough competition featuring the first ever Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final. The official Eurovision heart logo was also introduced where the flag of the host country came to be the centrepiece of the logo and an official DVD was produced for the first time.

The noughties were a time of great success for Türkiye and saw the country regularly placing well inside the top ten, often in the top five. Only once did Türkiye fail to qualify to the Grand Final.

2012 was the last time that Türkiye participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. Broadcaster TRT continues to be a member of the European Broadcasting Union and has the right to return to the contest in the future.  

Participation history

Event Contestant Song Place
Baku 2012
Can Bonomo
Love Me Back
Semi-Final
5th - 80 points
Grand Final
7th - 112 points
Düsseldorf 2011
Yüksek Sadakat
Live It Up
Semi-Final
13th - 47 points
Oslo 2010
maNga
We Could Be The Same
Semi-Final
1st - 118 points
Grand Final
2nd - 170 points
Moscow 2009
Hadise
Düm Tek Tek
Semi-Final
2nd - 172 points
Grand Final
4th - 177 points
Belgrade 2008
Mor ve Ötesi
Deli
Semi-Final
7th - 85 points
Grand Final
7th - 138 points
Helsinki 2007
Kenan Dogulu
Shake It Up Shekerim
Semi-Final
3rd - 197 points
Grand Final
4th - 163 points
Athens 2006
Sibel Tüzün
Superstar
Semi-Final
8th - 91 points
Grand Final
11th - 91 points
Kyiv 2005
Gülseren
Rimi Rimi Ley
Grand Final
13th - 92 points
Istanbul 2004
Athena
For Real
Grand Final
4th - 195 points
Riga 2003
Sertab Erener
Everyway That I Can
Grand Final
1st - 167 points
Tallinn 2002
Buket Bengisu & Saphire
Leylaklar Soldu Kalbinde
Grand Final
16th - 29 points
Copenhagen 2001
Sedat Yüce
Sevgiliye Son
Grand Final
11th - 41 points
Stockholm 2000
Pinar Ayhan & S.O.S. band
Yorgunum Anla
Grand Final
10th - 59 points
Jerusalem 1999
Tuba Önal & Grup Mystik
Dön Artik
Grand Final
16th - 21 points
Birmingham 1998
Tüzmen
Unutamazsin
Grand Final
14th - 25 points
Dublin 1997
Sebnem Paker and Group Etnic
Dinle
Grand Final
3rd - 121 points
Oslo 1996
Şebnem Paker
Besinçi Mevsim
Grand Final
12th - 57 points
Dublin 1995
Arzu Ece
Sev!
Grand Final
16th - 21 points
Millstreet 1993
Burak Aydos, Öztürk Baybora & Serter
Esmer Yarim
Grand Final
21st - 10 points
Malmö 1992
Aylin Vatankos
Yaz Bitti
Grand Final
19th - 17 points
Rome 1991
Izel Çeliköz, Rayhan Soykarçi and Can Ugurluér
Iki Dakika
Grand Final
12th - 44 points
Zagreb 1990
Kayahan
Gözlerinin Hapsindeyim
Grand Final
17th - 21 points
Lausanne 1989
Pan
Bana Bana
Grand Final
21st - 5 points
Dublin 1988
MFÖ
Sufi (Hey Ya Hey)
Grand Final
15th - 37 points
Brussels 1987
Seyyal Tanner and Lokomotif
Sarkim Sevgi üstüne
Grand Final
22nd - 0 points
Bergen 1986
Klips ve Onlar
Halley
Grand Final
9th - 53 points
Gothenburg 1985
MFÖ
Didai Didai Dai
Grand Final
14th - 36 points
Luxembourg 1984
Bes Yil Önce, On Yil Sonra
Halay
Grand Final
12th - 37 points
Munich 1983
Çetin Alp and the Short Wave
Opera
Grand Final
19th - 0 points
Harrogate 1982
Neço
Hani
Grand Final
15th - 20 points
Dublin 1981
Modern Folk Trio and Aysegül
Dönme Dolap
Grand Final
18th - 9 points
The Hague 1980
Ajda Pekkan
Petr'oil
Grand Final
15th - 23 points
Paris 1978
Nazar
Sevinçe
Grand Final
18th - 2 points
Stockholm 1975
Semiha Yanki
Seninle Bir Dakika
Grand Final
19th - 3 points