{"id":246366,"date":"2026-01-22T16:13:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T16:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/246366\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T16:13:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T16:13:11","slug":"arctic-monkeys-share-new-song-opening-night-from-indie-all-star-help2-war-child-album","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/246366\/","title":{"rendered":"Arctic Monkeys share new song ‘Opening Night’ from indie all-star ‘Help(2)’ War Child album"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arctic Monkeys<\/a> have shared their first new song in four years with \u2018Opening Night\u2019, taken from the indie all-star new War Child charity album \u2018Help(2)\u2019. Check it out below along with the full tracklist.<\/p>\n

Rumours of the song and album started to circulate online at the start of the month<\/a> when War Child Records teased a new project with \u201ca group of artists who are working on something important\u201d \u2013 with Arctic Monkeys, Damon Albarn<\/a>, English Teacher<\/a>, Young Fathers,\u00a0<\/a>Fontaines D.C.<\/a> and producer James Ford<\/a> among those following their Instagram page and sharing the news. It was then confirmed that a new song from Alex Turner and co would be the first to arrive<\/a> from the album.<\/p>\n

Today (Thursday January 22), the song has been shared along with all the details of the new collaborative album inspired by the landmark 1995 \u2018HELP\u2019 record for War Child. Produced and stewarded by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz<\/a>, Florence + The Machine<\/a>,\u00a0Blur<\/a>, Pet Shop Boys) <\/a>\u2018HELP(2)\u2019 was recorded through \u201ca close collaboration with Abbey Road Studios\u201d mostly during one week in November 2025.<\/p>\n

Alongside Alex Turner<\/a> and co\u2019s first material since 2022\u2019s \u2018The Car<\/a>\u2018, the album also features Anna Calvi<\/a>, Arlo Parks<\/a>, Arooj Aftab<\/a>, Bat For Lashes<\/a>, Beabadoobee<\/a>, Beck<\/a>, Portishead<\/a>\u2018s Beth Gibbons<\/a>, Big Thief<\/a>, Black Country, New Road<\/a>, Cameron Winter<\/a>, Blur\u2019s Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon<\/a>, Depeche Mode<\/a>, Dove Ellis<\/a>, Wolf Alice<\/a>\u2018s Ellie Rowsell<\/a>, English Teacher, Ezra Collective<\/a>, Foals<\/a>, Fontaines D.C. and frontman Grian Chatten<\/a>, Greentea Peng<\/a>, Kae Tempest<\/a>, King Krule<\/a>, Nil\u00fcfer Yanya<\/a>, Olivia Rodrigo<\/a>, Pulp<\/a>, Sampha<\/a>, The Last Dinner Party<\/a>, Wet Leg, <\/a>The Smiths<\/a>\u2018 icon Johnny Marr<\/a> and Young Fathers.<\/p>\n

The record follows more than 30 years from the original and legendary Brian Eno-led 1995 \u2018Help\u2019 album that featured Oasis<\/a>, Blur<\/a>, Radiohead<\/a>, Orbital<\/a>, Portishead<\/a>, Massive Attack<\/a>, Suede<\/a>, Sin\u00e9ad O\u2019Connor<\/a>, Manic Street Preachers<\/a>, The Boo Radleys<\/a> and more. That album raised over \u00a31.25million and sold over 700,000 copies, and was followed by other charity records including 2002\u2019s \u20181 Love\u2019, 2003\u2019s \u2018Hope\u2019, 2005\u2019s \u2018Help!: A Day in the Life\u2019 and 2009\u2019s \u2018War Child Presents Heroes\u2019.<\/p>\n

The charity works to protect, educate, and support the mental health of children affected by war \u2013 and comes at a time of conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria and beyond.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen James Ford called and asked if we\u2019d contribute to the \u2018HELP(2)\u2019 album we set to work on a song idea and assembled in Abbey Road to record it,\u201d said Arctic Monkeys in a press release. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

James Ford added:\u00a0\u201cI felt incredibly honoured when War Child asked me to work on \u2018HELP(2)\u2019. The original \u2018HELP\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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\u2019m extremely proud of the results and of the efforts made by all involved. I can\u2019t wait for people to hear this very special record.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FontainesFontaines D.C. live at Reading 2024. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/p>\n

Along with a slew of original tracks, the album also keeps \u201cthe spirit of the original record\u201d via \u201cthe collaborative nature of the recording process with numerous impromptu moments unfolding in the studio\u201d.<\/p>\n

Damon Albarn\u2019s session for \u2018Flags\u2019 saw him joined by Johnny Marr on guitar and Kae Tempest and Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C. on vocals, while Olivia Rodrigo was connected with Graham Coxon resulting in the guitarist performing on her cover of The Magnetic Fields<\/a>\u2018 \u2018The Book of Love\u2019.<\/p>\n

Other collabs include Ezra Collective and Greentea Peng coming together for \u2018Helicopters\u2019,\u00a0 English Teacher and Graham Coxon on \u2018Parasite\u2019, Arooj Aftab and Beck covering Jeff Buckley\u2019s \u2018Lilac Wine\u2019, and Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nil\u00fcfer Yanya and Dove Ellis all featuring on \u2018Sunday Light\u2019.<\/p>\n

Fontaines D.C. also lend their cover of Sinead O\u2019Connor\u2019s beautiful \u2018Black Boys On Mopeds\u2019, while Foals lend their first new material since 2022\u2019s \u2018Life Is Yours<\/a>\u2018 with \u2018When The War is Finally Done\u2019. Other highlights include Depeche Mode\u2019s cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie \u2018Universal Soldier\u2019 and Geese frontman Cameron Winter\u2019s \u2018Warning\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"WetWet Leg live at Glastonbury. Credit: Andy Ford for NME<\/p>\n

Academy Award winning filmmaker Jonathan Glazer also acted as Creative Director for \u2018HELP(2)\u2019 on the filming and art direction for the project.<\/p>\n

A press release reads: \u201cGlazer and Mica Levi\u2019s concept was simple \u2013 \u201cBy Children, For Children\u201d \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach child operated their own small camera and was invited into the studios to film the artists recording without any restrictions. In addition, Glazer\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glazer added: \u201cIt has been such a privilege to be part of bringing a team together to film this incredible collective effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CameronCameron Winter live at The Roundhouse, London. Credit: Lewis Evans<\/p>\n

In a statement about the importance of the record, the charity wrote that \u201cwhen \u2018HELP\u2019 was first released, around 10 per cent of the world\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

They continued: \u201cWith conflicts escalating and funding cuts hitting hard, War Child\u2019s work has never been more urgent and the need for these artists to carry forward the original album\u2019s spirit of collective action could not be more vital.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHELP(2) is more than an album,\u201d said Rich Clarke, Head of Music at War Child UK. \u201cIt\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope this record not only raises vital funds, but also awareness of the urgent need to turn compassion into action and do more to protect children living through war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Help(2)\u2019 will be released on Friday March 6 via War Child Records and is available for pre-order here<\/a>. Check out the full tracklist below.<\/p>\n

The \u2018HELP(2)\u2019 tracklist is:<\/p>\n

Arctic Monkeys \u2013 \u2018Opening Night\u2019
Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten, Johnny Marr & Kae Tempest \u2013 \u2018Flags\u2019
Black Country, New Road \u2013 \u2018Strangers\u2019
The Last Dinner Party \u2013 \u2018Let\u2019s Do it again!\u2019
Beth Gibbons \u2013 \u2018Sunday Morning\u2019
Arooj Aftab & Beck \u2013 \u2018Lilac Wine\u2019
King Krule \u2013 \u2018The 343 Loop\u2019
Depeche Mode \u2013 \u2018Universal Soldier\u2019
Ezra Collective & Greentea Peng \u2013 \u2018Helicopters\u2019
Arlo Parks \u2013 \u2018Nothing I Could Hide\u2019
English Teacher & Graham Coxon \u2013 \u2018Parasite\u2019
Beabadoobee \u2013 \u2018Say Yes\u2019
Big Thief \u2013 \u2018Relive, Redie\u2019
Fontaines D.C. \u2013 \u2018Black Boys On Mopeds\u2019
Cameron Winter \u2013 \u2018Warning\u2019
Young Fathers \u2013 \u2018Don\u2019t Fight the Young\u2019
Pulp \u2013 \u2018Begging for Change\u2019
Sampha \u2013 \u2018Naboo\u2019
Wet Leg \u2013 \u2018Obvious\u2019
Foals \u2013 \u2018When The War is Finally Done\u2019
Bat For Lashes \u2013 \u2018Carried My Girl\u2019
Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nil\u00fcfer Yanya & Dove Ellis \u2013 \u2018Sunday Light\u2019
Olivia Rodrigo \u2013 \u2018The Book of Love\u2019<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time that Arctic Monkeys have supported War Child. Back in 2018 they held an unforgettable charity show at Royal Albert Hall, and two years later, released it as a live record, with all proceeds going to War Child<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The original \u2018Help\u2019 charity album was reissued and made available on streaming platforms in 2020 to celebrate its 25th anniversary<\/a>. In October last year, it was then reissued again, this time as a limited, numbered 7\u201d single boxed set in celebration of it turning 30<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As well as releasing new music under War Child Records, BRITs Week 2026 will also be returning this year<\/a>, and see big names play intimate gigs to help raise awareness and funds for the charity.<\/p>\n

The shows take place in the run up to the BRIT Awards<\/a>, and this year\u2019s performers include Fatboy Slim<\/a>, Myles Smith<\/a>, Lambrini Girls<\/a> and more. Visit here to sign up for any remaining tickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Arctic Monkeys have shared their first new song in four years with \u2018Opening Night\u2019, taken from the indie…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":246367,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[156,157,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-246366","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-music","10":"tag-new-zealand","11":"tag-newzealand","12":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246366"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246366\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}