Arctic Monkeys ‘HELP (2)’ All-Star Charity Album With 1st New Song Since 2022

Arctic Monkeys released their first new music since 2022, “Opening Night.” The track is the initial look at the forthcoming charitable album, HELP(2), due out March 6 via War Child Records.

A sequel to the 1995 HELP album, HELP(2) will benefit global children’s charity War Child UK. The nonprofit’s mission is to deliver “immediate aid, education, specialist mental health support, and protection to children affected by conflict around the world.”

When the original HELP arrived in 1995, roughly 10 percent of the world’s children were affected by conflict. 30 years later that figure has doubled to nearly 20 percent, or 520 million children worldwide.

Like its predecessor, HELP(2) brings together an all-star cast of musicians to contribute songs to the 23-track record 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.

HELP(2) was recorded over the course of one week at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios with acclaimed producer/musician James Ford. Track number one and lead single from HELP(2) is Arctic Monkeys’ “Opening Night,” their first new music since 2022’s The Car.

“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,” Arctic Monkeys stated. “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.”

Watch a visualizer for “Opening Night” below:

In addition to the music, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Glazer helmed a visual companion to go along with the album in collaboration with Academy Films. Fittingly, Glazer and his team handed shooting over to children working by the motto, “By Children, For Children.”

Press materials further detailed the film:

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.

Watch the trailer:

HELP(2) Tracklist:

1. Arctic Monkeys – “Opening Night”
2. Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten & Kae Tempest – “Flags”
3. Black Country, New Road – “Strangers”
4. The Last Dinner Party – “Let’s do it again!”
5. Beth Gibbons – “Sunday Morning”
6. Arooj Aftab & Beck – “Lilac Wine”
7. King Krule – “The 343 Loop”
8. Depeche Mode – “Universal Soldier”
9. Ezra Collective & Greentea Peng – “Helicopters”
10. Arlo Parks – “Nothing I Could Hide”
11. English Teacher & Graham Coxon – “Parasite”
12. Beabadoobee – “Say Yes”
13. Big Thief – “Relive, Redie”
14. Fontaines D.C. – “Black Boys on Mopeds”
15. Cameron Winter – “Warning”
16. Young Fathers – “Don’t Fight the Young”
17. Pulp – “Begging for Change”
18. Sampha – “Naboo”
19. Wet Leg – “Obvious”
20. Foals – “When the War is Finally Done”
21. Bat For Lashes – “Carried my girl”
22. Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nilüfer Yanya & Dove Ellis – “Sunday Light”
23. Olivia Rodrigo – “The Book of Love”