Whilst the track won’t be released as a single, Thunberg’s environmental message takes a prominent place as the opening song on the band’s album. And although all three of the band’s previous albums have opened with the same ambient instrumental track called The 1975, Thunberg’s collaboration is the first time the track has been reinvented with speech, which is a powerful political statement in itself.

At Thunberg’s request, The 1975 are also donating proceeds from the track to environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion when the album goes on sale later in August. Earlier in the year, the group made headlines with their high-profile demonstrations aiming to raise awareness of climate change.

“Music has the power to break through barriers, and right now we really need to break through some barriers if we are to face this emergency,” the group said in a statement.

It hasn’t escaped people’s notice that Thunberg’s track was uploaded at midnight on one of the hottest days in the history of the UK, when the gruelling heatwave has been at the forefront of conversation all week. The time for bold evolution, as The 1975 and Thunberg proved with their musical collaboration, is upon us, and by practising our own small acts of rebellion, we can help our safeguard our planet for future generations too.

Image: Getty

Greta Thunberg penned a powerful message about climate change for The 1975’s new album