Help 2: Indie Artists Record Charity Album for War Child at Abbey Road Studios

In November 2025, over 30 prominent artists gathered at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios to record Help 2, a new charity album benefiting War Child, which supports children impacted by armed conflicts worldwide. This project serves as a modern successor to the influential 1995 Help! album from the Britpop era, which famously united rival bands like Oasis and Blur. The week-long sessions produced 23 tracks, with up to five studios operating simultaneously and spontaneous collaborations emerging. Highlights include Arctic Monkeys releasing the lead single ‘Opening Night,’ a previously unfinished song given new urgency by the charity effort; Pulp’s ‘Begging For Change,’ featuring children’s screams for a raw, live feel; and Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of The Magnetic Fields’ ‘The Book Of Love,’ featuring Blur’s Graham Coxon on guitar, positioned as the hopeful closing track. Other contributors range from Wet Leg, Fontaines D.C., Wolf Alice, and The Last Dinner Party to Damon Albarn (joined by Johnny Marr, Kae Tempest, and Grian Chatten), Foals, Young Fathers, and more. The recording process was documented by a group of children aged 8-10, directed by Jonathan Glazer, who roamed freely to create a lively, less clinical atmosphere—though some artists like Jarvis Cocker found it initially challenging. With global conflicts affecting 520 million children—the highest number since World War II—and aid cuts exacerbating the crisis, the album aims to raise funds and offer a sense of positive action. All profits go to War Child, thanks to donated services from labels and pressing plants, with the double vinyl priced affordably at around £26. The album releases on 6 March 2026.