War Child Records has announced an expansive new benefit compilation, HELP(2), bringing together one of the most wide-ranging lineups in recent memory. The album features Olivia Rodrigo, Arctic Monkeys, Cameron Winter, Fontaines D.C., Pulp, Depeche Mode, beabadoobee, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg, Arlo Parks, and more, united in support of children affected by war.
Revealed on January 22, 2026, HELP(2) is a modern successor to the landmark 1995 release HELP (The Help Album), which raised more than £1.2 million for War Child UK during the Bosnian conflict. Thirty years later, the stakes are even higher. War Child estimates that more than 520 million children are currently living with the consequences of war, nearly double the number affected in the mid-1990s. All proceeds from HELP(2) will go directly to War Child UK, funding emergency aid, education, mental health support, and child protection programs in conflict zones including Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and Syria.
The project was recorded during an intensive week-long session at Abbey Road Studios in November 2025 and executive produced by James Ford. The album spans 23 tracks, blending original songs, reinterpretations, and collaborative recordings across indie, rock, pop, and electronic music.
Arctic Monkeys lead the campaign with “Opening Night,” released today (Jan. 22) as the first single and marking the band’s first new music since 2022’s The Car. Olivia Rodrigo contributes a stripped-back cover of The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love,” while Fontaines D.C. tackle Sinéad O’Connor’s “Black Boys on Mopeds.” Pulp return with “Begging for Change,” and Depeche Mode appear with “Universal Soldier.”
Elsewhere on the tracklist, beabadoobee offers “Say Yes,” Wet Leg deliver “Obvious,” and Arlo Parks shares “Nothing I Could Hide.” The album also includes contributions from Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten, and Kae Tempest on “Flags,” Beth Gibbons on “Sunday Morning,” Sampha on “Naboo,” Foals on “When the War Is Finally Done,” and a large-scale collaboration featuring Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nilüfer Yanya, and Dove Ellis.
Set for release on March 6, 2026, HELP(2) is already available for pre-order through War Child.
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