War Child Records announce collab charity album ‘HELP(2)’ with new Arctic Monkeys single ‘Opening Night’

Arctic Monkeys are back (ish), having just shared a new single entitled ‘Opening Night’ - the first track to be lifted from War Child Records’ forthcoming collaborative charity album, ‘HELP(2)’. 

Due for release on 6th March, ‘HELP(2)’ brings together a dizzying array of artists - including Olivia Rodrigo, Damon Albarn, Pulp, Big Thief, Cameron Winter, English Teacher, Fontaines DC, Arlo Parks and many more (check out the full tracklist below) - in order to raise awareness of, and vital funds for, War Child’s essential work delivering aid, education, support, and protection to children affected by conflict around the world. All proceeds from ‘HELP(2)’ will be donated to War Child. 

The new LP takes cues from 1995’s landmark release ‘HELP’, which featured the likes of Oasis, The Stone Roses, Radiohead, Blur, and Sinéad O’Connor and raised £1.2 million for War Child, enabling the charity to support the thousands of children caught in the Bosnian conflict. Back then, roughly 10% of the world’s children were affected by conflict; now, the figure has almost doubled, with 520 million children worldwide living through war - more than at any time since the Second World War.

Speaking about their involvement - and the importance of War Child’s work - Arctic Monkeys have said: “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. 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.” 

The band’s first new music in four years (since 2022’s ‘The Car’), ‘Opening Night’ is a brooding, quiet crescendo of a track that finds Alex Turner and co. drawing on the lush arrangements of their last album for an outing that’s equal parts arresting and intricate. Listen to it for yourself here: