Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo, Depeche Mode & More Team Up For Charity Album

Mary Varvaris

The album 'HELP(2)' is a collaborative release in support of War Child, the organisation that assists and protects children worldwide affected by conflict.

Arctic Monkeys(Credit: Phoebe Fox/@shotbyphox)

Arctic Monkeys

A star-studded list of artists, including Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Olivia Rodrigo and many others, have joined forces for a good cause.

The who’s who of your favourite artists appear on HELP(2), a collaborative album being released by War Child Records in support of War Child, the organisation that assists and protects children across the globe affected by conflict.

Inspired by the landmark 1995 release HELP, which was led by Brian Eno and featured contributions from Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Portishead, Sinéad O’Connor, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, and more, HELP(2) carries that same spirit.

HELP(2) was brought to life in a close collaboration with Abbey Road Studios and recorded predominantly in just one week in November 2025 under the helm of producer James Ford.

Artists appearing on the forthcoming album include Arctic Monkeys, Beck, beabadoobee, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon of Blur fame, Depeche Mode, Foals, Fontaines D.C., King Krule, Olivia Rodrigo, Pulp, Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell, and others. You can find the full album tracklist below.

In addition to recording their own songs and covers for the album, impromptu collaborations also took place in the studio. Damon Albarn teamed up with renowned guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and singers Kae Tempest and Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten, while Olivia Rodrigo and Graham Coxon worked on a cover of The Book of Love.

HELP(2) will be released on Friday, 6 March, and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. Check out the album trailer and first single, Opening Night by Arctic Monkeys, below.

Notably, when the first HELP album was released, approximately 10% of the world’s children were affected by war. Today, that figure has almost doubled to nearly one in five, or, devastatingly, 520 million children worldwide. War Child’s work, which includes delivering immediate aid, education, specialist mental health support, and protecting children affected by conflict, remains urgent.

“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 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.”

Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker added, “Thirty years ago, we gave our Mercury Prize (and the prize money) to War Child. This year, we have given more. How much more? You’ll have to wait & see…”

James Ford described the experience of recording HELP(2) as “very powerful” and “life-affirming.”

“I felt incredibly honoured when War Child asked me to work on HELP(2),” Ford began. “The original ‘HELP’ meant a lot to me, and to have the opportunity, given the current news cycle, to help galvanise our music community into doing something as unarguably positive as helping children in war zones seemed like a no-brainer.”

Ford continued, “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.”

Rich Clarke, Head of Music at War Child UK, added, “HELP(2) is more than an album. 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. We 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.”