It was released on November 18, 2022, via Mercury Records as the second single from the band's fifth studio album The Maybe Man.

AJR began teasing the song in a YouTube short on August 21, 2022, showing the instrumental's production.

[3] "The DJ Is Crying for Help" is composed in 44 time signature in the key of B minor and follows a tempo of 145 beats per minute (bpm).

A soft piano forms the opening melody of the song before transitioning into a heavy composure of violins, synths, and other instruments during the chorus.

[6] The video was filmed in Paris during a cloudy day off from AJR's Europe tour and features the band running through the city, most notably in front of the Eiffel Tower.