The final words on Doechii’s mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal—““Everybody can’t go where you going.”— land emotionally in part because of what they’re not. They’re not performed by the artist, or even “performed” at all. Instead, they’re from a real voicemail, which makes this the latest in a long line of songs utilizing this unique but compelling musical tool. For nearly as long as they’ve existed, artists in all genres have drawn inspiration from and incorporated these found audio artifacts—and their ancestor, the answering machine message—in a myriad of ways. Here are a few of voicemails’ greatest hits.
“All the Love” by Kate Bush (1982)
Even though they existed since the 1960s, answering machines didn’t become common until the 1980s, which was also when this early example arrived, courtesy of the British art rocker. It’s an idea that came thanks to Bush’s defective answering machine. As she shared in her fan club’s newsletter, when Bush went to play them back one night, “The machine had neatly edited half a dozen messages together to leave “Goodbye,” “See you!,” “Cheers,” “See you soon.” It was a strange thing to sit and listen to your friends ringing up apparently just to say goodbye.” She edited this run of 20 accidental-yet-authentic farewells into the song, to highlight its theme of feeling alone in the world.
“Message to B.A.” by N.W.A. (1991)
Answering machines became more prevalent by the ’90s, at home and in music. Especially in hip-hop, where they sometimes provided a format for an interlude, like here where a series of messages has fans calling the group’s former member Ice Cube a punk, bitch, and other colorful-if-problematic names. These were staged, but their impact was real: This diss skit ignited one of the era’s legendary feuds.
“Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” by De La Soul (1991)
What do you do when you get a voicemail you don’t want to respond to? If you’re De La Soul, you turn it into your sophomore album’s lead single. Frustrated by the surge of callers asking them to listen to demo tapes, the group recreated these messages for the song’s intro and outro, and turned their answering machine’s greeting into its sardonic refrain.
“Your Love is What I Am” by Boy George (1995)
Showing that this wasn’t only a device for rappers, the English pop singer opens this glam rock track with a minute of actual messages from his friends. This has two effects: it sets an authentic stage for a song about the pain of feeling like you can’t live without someone, and reveals how difficult it must be to get Boy George on the phone.
“Your Most Valuable Possession” by Ben Folds Five (1999)
Alternative rock can do voicemails too! The piano rock trio built a song around the very real and very odd recording left on Ben Folds’ answering machine by his father, who at the time— according to Folds’ memoir—was “on a lot of cough medicine.” Fortunately, Father Folds has taken this in stride, reciting the message live on stage at concerts. And it fits, as the message grounds in reality the humor about Ben’s teenage years that’s found elsewhere on the album.
“Jurass Finish First” by Jurassic 5 (2000)
At the end of a song declaring how awesome they are, J5 shares their parents’ opinions. First up is a voicemail from Soup’s father, who tells a sweet story about how the young MC would steal his tapes to sing and dance to them, ending with, “I’m proud of him, and I’m proud of the fellas that are singing and rapping with him.” Less enthused is Chali 2na’s mother, who leaves a message berating him with,“Rapping, rapping, rapping… that’s all you want to think about, is rapping. Go get you a job boy.” It’s a cold, unexpected splash of water for a fun, boastful rap.
“Hate Me” by Blue October (2006)
Speaking of voicemails from moms, this rock radio hit opens with a real message from lead singer Justin Furstenfeld’s mother, expressing how worried she is about her son’s mental well-being. It’s a touching moment that imparts gravitas on the song that follows, where Furstenfeld grapples with how he’s messed up the important relationships of his life. Read our 2023 deep dive interview all about the song.
“Marvins Room” by Drake (2011)
Drake could have multiple songs on this voicemail playlist. It’s a device he’s used often, like on the songs “Can’t Have Everything” and “Look What You’ve Done,” to break from his own POV and authentically show how he’s viewed by his loved ones. However, “Marvins Room” stands out because it repeatedly features a voicemail from ex-girlfriend Ericka Lee asking him, ”Are you drunk right now?” to sobering effect. Even more sobering for Drake: She later sued him for using her message without consent, seeking royalties and co-writing credit.
“good kid, m.A.A.d. city” by Kendrick Lamar (2012)
Ironically the one artist more inspired by voicemails than Drake is Kendrick. There’s “Wesley’s Theory” featuring a theme-setting message from Dr. Dre. There’s “FEAR,” bookended by a real voicemail from Lamar’s cousin Carl—reciting parts of the Book of Deuteronomy—to provide a religious context. But his most expansive use is throughout this album, where a series of voicemails from his mother inquiring about when he’ll be back with her van adds some real life color and provides a narrative through-line for Lamar’s whole musical journey.
“Let’s Have a Kiki” by Scissor Sisters (2012)
This track starts with a fake voicemail that was inspired by an actual shitty night in the life of member Ana Matronic, full of rain, cops, and, “You know the MTA should stand for ‘Motherfuckers Touching my Ass!’” It sets the mood and justifies what comes next: the titular kiki (defined in the song as a party with friends to calm your nerves and spill the tea).
“Tyler Got Him A Tesla / Can’t Say I Ain’t Country” by Florida Georgia Line (2019)
Country music can do voicemails, too! This opening skit is a voicemail worrying about singer Tyler Hubbard’s choice of car, creating a straw man argument to segue into the first song.
“Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny (2022)
Latin trap can do voicemails, too, as the Puerto Rican superstar uses the device of a concerned voicemail from his Auntie to add validity to this song about his womanizing ways.
“Find Your God” by Southtowne Lanes (2024)
This emo band from Oregon’s album, Take Care, is an exploration of singer Matt Kupka’s grief after losing his father, and it all builds to a climactic use at the end of the penultimate track of the final voicemail he ever received from his dad. Hearing his late father speak directly, leaving his son an everyday yet also incredibly kind and heartfelt message, you can’t help but suddenly also feel the grief this album has been expressing. It highlights how something we all take for granted like a voicemail can also be a true piece of art in the right song.