As the weeks turned into months, the playlist grew. Kerem’s show became a ritual for the morning commuters. He played Semicenk’s "Mesafe," a track that seemed to echo through every open car window from Beşiktaş to Üsküdar. Then came Simge’s "Aşkın Olayım," a song that had lived a quiet life since 2018 only to explode into a cultural phenomenon in early 2023, tied forever to the cheers of football stadiums and the dreams of late-night dreamers.

Experience the sounds that defined the early months of 2023 with these curated hit collections and remixes:

The story follows Kerem, a young radio DJ at a small station in Kadıköy. For Kerem, music wasn't just sound; it was a way to map the city’s soul. On the first Monday of January, he sat in his booth, the red "ON AIR" sign glowing like a steady heartbeat. He reached for the first track that had begun to dominate the Top Songs of 2023 in Türkiye : Mert Demir and Mabel Matiz’s "Antidepresan."

As the melancholic yet catchy rhythm filled the airwaves, Kerem watched the city through the glass. In a small café across the street, a girl named Leyla was listening to the same song on her headphones. To her, "Antidepresan" wasn't just a hit; it was a reminder of a winter spent finding herself again. She hummed along to the lyrics, feeling the collective sigh of a city that often felt just as weary as the song’s title suggested.