Methods, systems, and products for random access for processing messages in a message queue that include creating a map relating message identification and message position, including adding an entry in the map whenever a message enters the queue; instantiating a plurality of consumers for the messages; and consuming, with the consumers, the messages in dependence upon the map. In typical embodiments, the plurality of consumers includes a particular number of consumers and such embodiments typically include assigning an ordinal value to each consumer and consuming the messages further comprises identifying the messages to be processed by each consumer in dependence upon the ordinal values, the number of consumers, and the message positions.