Should we still care about number one singles? When The Beatles scored a number one 50 years ago today, it was the mark of their superstardom. That might not be the case any more - tastes are too fickle, attention spans too short to stick with one chart-topping act - but a good single will still make an impact. If not in the charts, but on the dance floors, the DJ mixes and the Spotify playlists, for which the single is essential. James Lachno: No, we shouldn't care There are two reasons why I, for one, don't care about singles anymore. The first is functional: we no longer need single releases to give us a snapshot of the best music. Why wade through the X Factor rejects, Facebook campaign pushes and novelty YouTube sensations on the UK Chart Show, when, in two minutes, you can curate your own top 40 of brilliant tracks on iTunes, Spotify or any number of other digital playlist makers? Take the time to listen to albums and you can select the best songs from them - not just the ones a record company thought would be most immediately catchy or amenable to radio play. The second is a matter of taste, and has been a long-standing argument. There'll always be a place for the perfect 3 minute pop single - whether it's The Beatles From Me to You, which gave them their first number one 50 years ago today, or the sublimely laid-back funk-soul of Daft Punk and Pharrell's current chart-topper. But there's no feeling quite like the immersive joy of setting an hour of one's time aside to listen to a great album in full. It's the reason why the "Best Album" prize is usually the showpiece at music awards ceremonies, and why we get so excited about the Mercury Prize, or end-of-year album lists. It's the reason that Adele's success is often measured by the gargantuan number of copies 21 shifted, and awards it won. She released some stunning singles, but each sounds even more meaningful - and irresistible - amid the narrative arc of her break-up album. Adele's not the only example. What about Frank Ocean's Channel Orange, the most critically acclaimed debut of last year? Tellingly, not a single track from the album cracked the UK top-40. Do people argue down the pub about the best Beatles single, or whether they're a Revolver or Abbey Road man (or, indeed, in the LET It Bleed camp)? The great album is the more substantial piece of work and will always mean more to many people than the ephemeral thrill of a single.