Arctic Monkeys have shared their first new track from the indie all-star War Child album, 'Help(2)'.
The band's new track, 'Opening Night', has been shared with details of the new album inspired by the landmark album 'HELP' from 1995.
The new album was produced by James Ford, and was recorded through “a close collaboration with Abbey Road Studios” mostly during one week in November 2025.
It is aimed at working towards War Child, which helps to protect, educate and support the mental health of children who have been affected by war, and comes amid times of conflict in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, Syria and more.
In a statement, the charity said that “when ‘HELP’ was first released, around 10 per cent of the world’s children were affected by conflict. Today, that figure has almost doubled to nearly 1 in 5, or 520million children worldwide; more than at any time since the Second World War".
They continued: “With conflicts escalating and funding cuts hitting hard, War Child’s work has never been more urgent and the need for these artists to carry forward the original album’s spirit of collective action could not be more vital.”
“HELP(2) is more than an album,” said Rich Clarke, Head of Music at War Child UK. “It’s a powerful example of what can happen when the music industry comes together around a shared purpose. It has united a diverse group of artists and creatives in support of War Child’s vital work with children affected by the devastating impacts of war. We are immensely grateful to all the artists and teams who have donated their voices, talent and time to support our mission to ensure that no child is caught up in conflict zones".
In a press release, Arctic Monkeys said the following.
“When James Ford called and asked if we’d contribute to the ‘HELP(2)’ album we set to work on a song idea and assembled in Abbey Road to record it,” they said. “We are proud to support the invaluable work War Child do and hope the record will make a positive difference to the lives of children affected by war".
Speaking about this, James Ford added: “I felt incredibly honoured when War Child asked me to work on ‘HELP(2)’. The original ‘HELP’ meant a lot to me and to have the opportunity, given the current news cycle, to help galvanize our music community into doing something as unarguably positive as helping children in war zones seemed like a no-brainer".
“The experience of making the album itself has been very powerful, and dare I say life affirming for me personally, against the backdrop of a very difficult year. I’m extremely proud of the results and of the efforts made by all involved. I can’t wait for people to hear this very special record".
The album has also been described as keeping “the spirit of the original record” via “the collaborative nature of the recording process with numerous impromptu moments unfolding in the studio”.
The project was also produced by filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, who acted as creative director for 'HELP(2)' on the filming and art direction.
“Glazer and Mica Levi’s concept was simple – “By Children, For Children” – with his team handing the cameras over to children in order to see the world through their eyes and serve as a constant reminder of the reason for the endeavor to the audience and all involved", a press release said.
“Each child operated their own small camera and was invited into the studios to film the artists recording without any restrictions. In addition, Glazer’s team worked with fixers and filmmakers in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen and Sudan to gather footage filmed by children on the ground in these conflict zones. The results are a stunning piece of work that, ultimately, connects the album to the children the music seeks to help".
Glazer added: “It has been such a privilege to be part of bringing a team together to film this incredible collective effort".
