Arctic Monkeys are set to break a four-year silence with new music this week, unveiling a brand new single to raise money for children affected by war in collaboration with the charity War Child.
Rumours that the Sheffield indie rock giants were preparing new material began earlier this month after War Child — the international non-profit dedicated to protecting, educating and supporting children in conflict zones — teased a major project featuring a “group of artists… working on something important in support of War Child.”
Fans quickly connected the dots when Arctic Monkeys’ longtime producer James Ford and drummer Matt Helders reshared the charity’s update on social media before the band shared it themselves, stoking excitement about the band’s involvement.
View this post on Instagram
On Tuesday the mystery was confirmed. War Child Records announced that Arctic Monkeys will release a new track at 3pm GMT on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The song, which has not yet been given an official title, will form part of the charity’s latest fundraising efforts, with details about a wider project expected to be revealed alongside the single’s release.
The new single marks Arctic Monkeys’ first new music since their seventh studio album The Car in 2022 and their first original release of any kind in four years. After a period of relative silence following their 2023 world tour — which included headline slots at major festivals such as Glastonbury and extensive dates across Europe and North America — the announcement has sparked palpable buzz among fans and the wider music community.
War Child’s campaign underscores a sharp rise in the number of children affected by conflict since its earlier charity music projects. When the organisation released its first collaborative record — the Help album — in 1995, around 10 per cent of the world’s children were living amid war. That figure has now nearly doubled, with roughly 19 per cent, or about 520 million children, at risk of losing their childhoods to violence and upheaval.
The Help album, a landmark charitable compilation featuring artists such as Oasis, Radiohead, Blur and Paul McCartney, helped establish a legacy of musicians using their platform to make a difference. Arctic Monkeys’ involvement suggests a new chapter in this tradition, potentially kicking off a fresh generation of artists lending their work to the cause.
While Arctic Monkeys are currently the only act officially confirmed for the project, War Child Records’ social channels are followed by a roster of high-profile artists, fuelling speculation that a full benefit album may be on the horizon.
War Child's iconic album 'Help' is to be reissued as a limited, numbered 7" box set for its 30th anniversary.
Originally released in September 1995, this compilation album was mastered by Brian Eno, including artwork from John Squire, raising funds for children affected by the Bosnian conflict. It also includes tracks from Radiohead, Sinead O'Connor, Orbital, Portishead, Massive Attack, the Boo Radleys, Suede and others.
It also marked a return to the studio for Manic Street Preachers following the disappearance of former bandmember Richey Edwards. This included a cover of BJ Thomas' ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ by the band.
The Charlatans and The Chemical Brothers released their collaboration, 'Time For Living', while Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller also combined for a version of The Beatles' 'Come Together'.
This reissue, which consists of 10 x 7" LPs, as well as two iconic tracks from the original 1995 album, will be available from October 17 onwards. You can also pre order it here.
The special reissue can be ordered directly via the War Child store, including a special postcard taken from the album's original recording session from 1995. Three exclusive postcards will also feature previously unseen images shot by Lawrence Watson at the recording sessions in Abbey Road.
Former Arctic Monkeys bassist, Andy Nicholson has said that his new photo book of the group reduced his former bandmates to tears.
Nicholson, who left te band in 2006, is set to release the photo book, I Bet This Looks Good On Your Coffee Table, which is a collection of his candid moments taken from the band between 2005 and 2007.
View this post on Instagram
The book, which has 135 pages, is an A4 hardback featuring the Arctic Monkeys cramped in dressing rooms, on tour buses, working in the studio during recording sessions, as well as making their Saturday Night Debut in 2006. Find out more about this here.
“We talk quite a lot. I sent them an early copy of the book and got some great replies. [Drummer] Matt [Helders] said it made him cry. [Guitarist] Jamie [Cook] weren’t far behind. I showed it Al[ex Turner] and some of the names that were suggested for the working titles, Al came up with a couple on them. He said, ‘Good job the music was good, because we didn’t look too good either", Nicholson told Radio X.
Nicholson took a three week break from touring with the band in 2006, before being permanently replaced by Nick O'Malley, who had initially joined the band on a temporary basis.
Following his departure, Nicholson has worked as a musician, DJ, record producer and photographer, producing for Tom Prior, Toddla T, Swindle and Terri Walker among others. He also formed the band Mongrel, before briefly joining Reverend & The Makers, Lords of Flatbush and hip hop collective Clubs & Spades. He also performed his Goldteeth moniker.
Explaining his departure to Radio X, Nicholson said: “It was a difference of reasons. I had family stuff going on, they decided to take Nick on tour, came back, decided to keep Nick, so I wasn’t in there anymore".
“After a few years, maybe four, five years of us parting ways and not really talking a lot, we kind of started to link back up and started to have these serious grown up conversations and really rebuilt our friendship from there and everything’s been fine since then".
