It was 50 years ago a week from today that The Beatles taught the world to play. The 50th anniversary edition of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released today and 50 years on, it still sounds strong.

The album comes with a full remix by Giles Martin – son of the late Sir George Martin who, as we all know, was the unofficial fifth member of the band. GQ has published a full interview with the producer, which is well worth a read.

So, what's so special about the re-released Sgt Pepper's? Well according to Alexis Petridis:

'It’s all beautifully done, as you might expect: few organisations part fans from their cash with such good taste and elegance as Apple Corps. Giles Martin’s remix is a vast improvement on the old stereo version – more muscular, with an unexpected emphasis placed on Ringo Starr’s drums – although the original mono mix, also here, is the one with the Beatles’ fingerprints on it. Twenty-two years after Paul McCartney suggested that any further attempts to raid the store of unreleased Beatles material would have to be called Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel, enough outtakes and alternative versions have been grubbed together to fill three CDs. If the feeling that the really good stuff from the cutting-room floor came out years ago on the second Anthology compilation never quite lifts, the raw early versions of Fixing a Hole and Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite! give you an idea of what Sgt Pepper might have sounded like if the Beatles had chosen to go back on the road and play it live.' 

The band is also the subject of a new documentray called It Was Fifty Years Ago Today! The Beatles: Sgt Pepper & Beyond which hits cinemas today. Here's a sneak peek. 

Will you buy the new version? Or are you happy with the original? How did Sgt Pepper's change your life? Or were you not a fan? Which is your favourite Beatles album?