
The vocoder was invented to improve telecommunications in the 1930s and re-purposed by the military to mask speech among officials during World War II. By the 1980s, artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Zapp began using it as a musical instrument. The sound caught on and has remained one of the most influential movements in music to this day, although Auto-Tune (not included on the list), has mostly replaced it. Writer Dave Tompkins is somewhat of a vocoder historian; the legendary music journalist wrote a book this year, How To Wreck A Nice Beach, chronicling the machine's history. (The book includes a chapter on Talkbox, vocoder's funkier twin sister, which explains its inclusion on parts of the list.) Musicians have been trying to sound like robots for years, and this Tompkins-curated list of The 50 Greatest Vocoder Songs is the ultimate guide to the machine's best moments. Click on to get started...
RELATED: Green Label - The Best Electronic Music Albums of 2013
#50. Snoop Dogg "Sexual Eruption"

#49. Imogen Heap "Hide And Seek"

#48. Neil Young "Transformer Man"

#47. Mogwai "Hunted By A Freak"

#46. Black Sabbath "Planet Caravan"

#45. Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight"

#44. Above The Law "Black Superman"

#43. Jackson 5 "Different Kind of Lady"

#42. Guy "Teddy's Jam II"

#41. J. Dilla f/ Common "E=MC2 (Instrumental)"

#40. Holger Czukay "Ode To Perfume"

#39. Jodeci "Feenin'"

#38. Daft Punk "Robot Rock"

#37. Beastie Boys "Intergalactic"

#36. Anthony Rother "Biomechanik"

#35. LCD Soundsystem "V "

#34. Casco "Cybernetic Love (Instrumental)"

#33. Mantronix "Needle to the Groove"

#32. Pretty Tony "Jam The Box"

#31. Bruce Haack & Russell "Rush" Simmons "Party Machine"

#30. Mac Dre f/ Mac Mall & E-40 "Dredio"

#29. Rockets "On The Road Again (Tom Moulton Mix)"

#28. The B.B.&Q. Band "Imagination"

#27. Big Boi "Shutterbugg"

#26. Mtume "Hips"

#25. Maggotron "Radio Mars"

#24. M.C. A.D.E. "How Much Can You Take"

#23. Doug E. Fresh "Nuthin'"

#22. Dayton "Sound of Music (European Mix) "

#21. Tom Tom Club "Spooks (Instrumental) "

#20. Kano "I'm Ready"

#19. DJ Battlecat "DJ-N-Effect (Cuts & Drums Version) "

#18. Dynamix II "Just Give the DJ A Break "

#17. Laurie Anderson "O Superman"

#16. Satellite "You Can Drive My Spaceship (Disco Tom Edit)"

#15. Jimmy Lewis & The L.A. Street Band "Street Freeks (Instrumental)"

#14. Slum Village "Get Dis Money (Instrumental) "

#13. New Order "Ecstasy"

#12. B+ "B Beat Classic"

#11. Whodini "It's All In Mr. Magic's Wand (Instrumental)"

#10. 2Pac f/ Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman "California Love"

#9. Egyptian Lover "My House (On The Nile)"

#8. Jonzun Crew "We Are The Jonzun Crew (Disconet Edit) "

#7. Zapp "TIE: More Bounce To The Ounce/ Computer Love "

#6. Stevie Wonder "Sesame Street Theme "

#5. Midnight Star "Freak-a-Zoid"

#4. Kraftwerk "Computer World"

#3. Bell Telephone Laboratory "Voice of Power"

#2. Afrika Bambaataa "Voice of the Funk Overlord"

#1. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five "Scorpio"
