A thematic and descriptive analysis of the use of Turkish folk music in Turkish television series

Abstract

This study aims to systematically examine the use of Turkish folk music in popular television series broadcast in Turkey between 2005 and 2025. The post-2005 period corresponds to a phase in which Turkish TV series expanded into international markets and experienced a significant increase in exports. During this period, the use of folk music in television series has evolved beyond a purely traditional musical form, becoming a narrative element through which emotional, cultural, and national representations are reproduced within popular culture. The 20-year period was divided into four five-year intervals and analyzed using the frequency analysis method. The identified musical pieces were classified into three categories: anonymous works, compositions belonging to the âşık tradition, and composed pieces in the folk song (türkü) form. For compositions resembling folk music, expert evaluation was conducted using the “Folk Music Suitability Analysis Form,” and works scoring 20 or above out of 25 points were included in the data pool. Out of a total of 225 vocal and 55 instrumental works identified, 65 focal pieces were selected through purposive sampling and subjected to musicological and thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the use of folk music has increased by approximately 1000% over the past 20 years, and that folk songs have evolved from being a secondary background element to becoming a central auditory tool in generating emotional intensity and national identity within television narratives. The results also indicate that Turkish folk music has largely preserved its traditional structure while being integrated into modern media and popular culture; furthermore, newly composed works maintain their folk music characteristics through expert evaluation and contribute to the formation of a digital cultural memory through television series.