Popular songs are important multimodal mass media products through which cultures are communicated to people of different backgrounds, and these are widely translated. But, the study of the translations of popular songs has been partially neglected in translation studies. In an effort to contribute to filling this gap, the article aims to underline the importance of the translation and adaptation of songs; to explain how songs were translated and adapted to give birth to Turkish pop music; and to provide an example of an instance where sociopolitical and cultural realities and aspirations, aided by different translational strategies, helped shape a new music culture.