Arctic Monkeys feature on new War Child Records 'HELP(2)'

‘HELP(2)’ is a powerful new collaborative album inspired by the landmark 1995 release HELP, created to unite music fans worldwide in support of War Child’s vital work providing emergency aid, education, specialist mental health care, and protection for children affected by conflict. Like the original, HELP(2) speaks directly to the urgency of today’s global humanitarian crises.

The album will be released on Friday 6 March via War Child Records, with pre-orders available now.

Carrying forward the spirit of the original project, HELP(2) was brought to life through a close collaboration with Abbey Road Studios and recorded predominantly over one extraordinary week in November 2025, under the stewardship of acclaimed producer James Ford.

The album features an exceptional line-up of artists, including Anna Calvi, Arctic Monkeys, Arlo Parks, Arooj Aftab, Bat For Lashes, Beabadoobee, Beck, Beth Gibbons, Big Thief, Black Country, New Road, Cameron Winter, Damon Albarn, Depeche Mode, Dove Ellis, Ellie Rowsell, English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Foals, Fontaines D.C., Graham Coxon, Greentea Peng, Grian Chatten, Kae Tempest, King Krule, Nilüfer Yanya, Olivia Rodrigo, Pulp, Sampha, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg, and Young Fathers.

Reflecting the collaborative spirit of the original record, the recording process was marked by spontaneity and unexpected moments. Damon Albarn’s session for ‘Flags’ saw him joined by Johnny Marr on guitar alongside Kae Tempest and Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C. on vocals, while Olivia Rodrigo was paired with Graham Coxon, resulting in his guitar performance on her cover of ‘The Book of Love’.

Beyond the music, Academy Award–winning filmmaker Jonathan Glazer served as creative director for HELP(2), working with Academy Films to assemble a team of leading creatives and oversee the project’s filming and visual direction. Glazer and Mica Levi’s guiding concept—“By Children, For Children”—saw cameras placed directly into the hands of children, offering a perspective of the world through their eyes and reinforcing the purpose behind the project.

Each child operated their own small camera and was invited into the studios to document the recording process without restriction. In parallel, Glazer’s team collaborated with fixers and filmmakers in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan, collecting footage filmed by children living in these conflict zones. The result is a deeply moving body of work that directly connects the music to the children it seeks to support.

Check out the album trailer and Arctic Monkey's new track below!