Arctic Monkeys confirm return with new music for War Child

After months of speculation, Arctic Monkeys have officially confirmed their return — and it comes with a humanitarian purpose. Alongside preparing new material, the band have partnered with War Child to raise funds for children affected by armed conflict.

The confirmation ends long-running rumours among fans, who had been sensing behind-the-scenes activity since mid-2025. Through an announcement shared on War Child Records’ official Instagram account, it was revealed that a brand-new song from Arctic Monkeys will be released on Thursday, January 22, at 10:00pm (WIB).

“New song from Arctic Monkeys and more information about our upcoming project to support children living in war,” War Child Records wrote in the post.

Early signs of the band’s return emerged when longtime producer James Ford and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders reshared War Child’s teaser post on social media. The clip featured a cinematic slow-motion shot of a child running towards the sea, layered with distant laughter and a calm instrumental track tinged with light distortion.

While the song’s title remains under wraps, excitement is high, as this marks the band’s first new release since wrapping up their extensive world tour in October 2023.

Fans had also noticed subtle changes on the band’s official website last summer, when the visuals from "The Car" era quietly disappeared, replaced by a plain green homepage — along with the registration of a new record company entity. These moves only fuelled theories that Alex Turner and his bandmates were back in the studio.

War Child has a history of collaborating with major artists, and if this initiative expands into a full charity album, it would echo the impact of the landmark 1995 release "Help", which featured acts such as Oasis, Radiohead and Blur and raised more than £1.25 million.

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For now, Arctic Monkeys are the first major act confirmed for War Child Records’ new project this year. However, further high-profile participation seems likely, as the charity’s social media is followed by artists including Damon Albarn, Depeche Mode, Foals and Fontaines DC.