Music has always been a vehicle and voice for change, but rarely does a single album carry as much positive impact as the collaborative charity album “Help 2”, released by War Child.
In one week at Abbey Road Studios in Nov. 2025, a diverse group of artists came together in London to record songs for the collaborative album “Help 2.” The studio, located at on 3 Abbey Road, is famously known as the location of the Beatles walking across the zebra crossing for the album cover “Abbey Road” zebra crossing featured on the cover for the album “Abbey Road” by the Beatles.
“Help 2” features a variety of musical styles, indie rock, pop, post-punk and folk. Artists include familiar ones recording artists, like Olivia Rodrigo and the Arctic Monkeys, alongside rising artists, such as Cameron Winter and Beabadoobee, all this album
offers a variety of musical styles while Released March 6, 2026, the album features 23 tracks made by 32 musicians, and has a total runtime of 1 hour 26 mins.
The sales of the album go toward supporting the humanitarian organization War Child. All proceeds from every purchase or stream of the album go directly to War Child, supporting their mission to provide education and aid to children in 14 conflicted-affected countries, including Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine and Syria.
War Child works to “improve the resilience and wellbeing of children living with violence and armed conflict,” according to warchild.net. Released March 6, 2026, the album features 23 tracks made by 32 musicians, and has a total runtime of 1 hour 26 mins. It is a compilation album spanning many genres, including indie rock, pop, post-punk and folk. All proceeds from every purchase or stream of the album go directly to War Child, supporting their mission to provide education and aid to children in 14 conflicted affected countries, including Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine and Syria.
“Help 2” starts off with “Opening Night” by the Arctic Monkeys, the album’s first released single. The song calls back melodically to their 2013 album “AM,” , but it’s more piano driven, like their later work. The track gives off a relaxed energy that makes it a perfect opener. “Opening Night” isa song that reminds fans why the band is so iconic, for their ability to make songs in different styles, and always make a catchy anthem.
“Help 2” highlights the range of modern Indie pop artists, like Beabadoobee. Known for her nostalgic blend of 90s inspired indie rock and bedroom pop, Beabadoobee delivers a standout moment with her cover of “Say Yes” by Elliot Smith.
This track serves as a tribute to one of her favorite artists and biggest influences on her music. Her cover captures the feeling of trying to be optimistic while having a heavy heart, and it carries a melody that gets stuck in your head. She achieves this through the contrast between the bright strumming of an acoustic guitar and her own delicate vocals, that carry a trace of sadness.
The track “Warning” by Cameron Winter provides a moment of reflection. Winter, known for the loud and chaotic energy of his band Geese, tries out a different style on the track ‘Warning’ by delivering an original song with unsettling strings and sparse production. The value of the track lies in its sharp, accusing lyrics that confront those who think they can escape justice.
Winter sings, “Some get away with it for many years / And are not punished, but some are”, a line that serves as a direct “warning” to world leaders about their personal responsibility during times of global conflict. This songs message of eventual accountability captures the listeners full attention.
Keeping up with the politically charged theme, one of the most powerful moments on the album comes from the band Fontaines DC with their cover of “Black Boys on Mopeds” by Sinead O’Conner. Originally written 1990, the song is a protest against police brutality and racial discrimination in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain. O’Connor wrote it after the death of Nicholas Bramble, a black youth who died in a road crash after being chased by police who thought the vehicle was stolen.
Fontaines D.C’s version allows the focus to remain on the song’s message, which protests the violation of the human right to equal protection under the law. The song talks about the hypocrisy of government leaders who express concern for foreign conflicts while ignoring violence at home. This cover serves as a reminder that the fight for racial justice and accountability is ceaseless.
Closing the album is Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of “The Book of Love” by the Magnetic Fields. Rodrigo, a 3 time Grammy Award winner, supports her cover of this song with strings and soft emotional vocals that emphasize the poetic nature of the song. An important song in pop culture, The Book of Love has been covered by many artists. Her first release since 2023, Rodrigo succeeds in taking on this iconic song and introducing it to a generation of listeners.
“Help 2” is a collection of gems from a group of talented artists. This album is a reminder that music can be a force for change, turning artistic collaboration into support for War Child’s mission in delivering immediate aid, protection, education and mental health support to children living in active and post conflict areas, as well as those in refugee situations.
You can support War Child’s mission by listening to “Help 2”. The album is available for purchase in physical and digital formats on War Child’s Bandcamp profile. Streaming of the album is also supported on Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer and Qobuz.
