Arctic Monkeys Return With First New Song in Four Years

Arctic Monkeys will release a new song on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. GMT. War Child Records announced this on Instagram. "New track from @arcticmonkeys and more info about our upcoming project to support children living through war," the organization posted. A teaser video shows a child running into the sea, with laughter and distorted instrumentals in the background.

The Sheffield group last released music with their album, The Car, in 2022. That record peaked at No. 2 on the Official Albums Chart. They headlined Glastonbury in 2023, then wrapped up their world tour in Ireland that October.

Rumors about new music started earlier this month when War Child shared a post about artists working on something important. War Child has assembled several benefit albums since 1995. The original Help compilation featured Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Portishead, Massive Attack, Suede, and Manic Street Preachers. That record raised over £1.25 million ($1.67 million).

The need has grown since then. When Help came out in 1995, 10 percent of children worldwide faced conflict. That number has almost doubled to 19 percent, affecting 520 million children today. Right now, one in five children worldwide risks losing their childhoods to war.

Manager Ian McAndrew mentioned a new compilation at the Music Week Awards in London last year, saying that James Ford would oversee the album. Ford has worked on all but one of the band's records.

The group once performed at London's Royal Albert Hall to benefit War Child. That show became a live album, and all proceeds went to the organization.