British charity War Child U.K. is releasing a new benefit compilation album nearly 30 years after its landmark project “Help” became a major success in the U.K. music industry and raised significant funds for children affected by war.
The original album, “Help,” was released in 1995 and quickly climbed to the top of the British charts. Featuring previously unreleased songs by some of the biggest Britpop acts of the time — including Oasis, Blur and Radiohead — the compilation raised more than 1.25 million pounds for children and families affected by the war in Bosnia.
The success of that project left a lasting impact on the organization and the British music scene, but for years a similar follow-up never materialized. Now the charity is hoping to recreate that momentum with a new compilation titled “Help(2),” which will be released tomorrow both in stores and on streaming platforms.
The new album brings together a different generation of musicians who have contributed previously unheard tracks to support children living in conflict zones. Among the artists featured on the record are Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo and Wet Leg.
Funds raised from the project will help support War Child UK’s work with children and families affected by armed conflicts in several regions of the world, including Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and Sudan.
Rich Clarke, War Child UK’s head of music, said the organization had long hoped to revisit the spirit of the original album.
“I think it’s a situation now where musicians feel not that they want to do something, but that they need to do something,” Clarke said, noting that the growing number of global conflicts has prompted many artists to become more active in humanitarian causes.
One of the musicians contributing to the album is Jarvis Cocker, the frontman of the band Pulp. Cocker recorded the song “Begging for Change” for the project, a track he said he originally began writing more than a decade ago but had struggled to complete.
The recording session took place at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London. During the session, children participating in a documentary project were invited to observe and film the recording process, and some even formed a choir that appears on the song.
Artists involved in the project say benefit compilations remain an important part of independent music culture, offering musicians a direct way to support social causes.
They said projects such as “Help(2)” not only generate funds but also help raise awareness about the humanitarian impact of war and encourage audiences to become more engaged with global issues.
