Sound is the primary sensory modality that cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) use to make sense of their world. Social vocalizations—the acoustic communication signals animals use when interacting with each other—are particularly important for cetaceans, as they modulate key aspects of life history, including mating, calf rearing, and group bonding. Accordingly, scientists can monitor certain features of cetacean population dynamics through social vocalizations, but for such efforts to be effective, we must first understand what information is encoded in those vocalizations. In this talk, I will discuss how quantifying spatial and temporal variation in social vocalizations can tell us about the identities, interactions, and cultures of the animals producing them. Using vocalizations produced by three species—sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins, and bowhead whales—as case studies, I will discuss the latest methodological advances that are improving our ability to characterize vocalization structure, diversity, and complexity. By studying social vocalizations in a multifaceted way, we can more effectively monitor species that are difficult to access, incorporate animal culture into conservation efforts, and safeguard unique human-wildlife interactions.