I agree heartily agree with Miles and Counselor above.
I also have to add some of my favorites:
The Logical Song- Supertramp - A great pop melody with somber undertones, the song drips with sarcastic irreverence toward conformity.
Losing My Religion- REM - I have always loved REM, but this song in particular strikes a chord with me.
Tracks of My Tears- Smokey Robinson - Smokey could seduce me with one note. He also penned many of the R&B hits for other Motown artists in the 60's.
Mack The Knife- Bobby Darin- Bobby seems to have been forgotten by most people, but I love this song and think it is a classic pop song.
Bennie and the Jets- Elton John - There are so many Elton songs that deserve to be here. I chose this one, my first introduction to Captain Fantastic and the first 45 I ever bought when I was just a kid.
Waiting For That Day- George Michael - This song is not as well known as his other hits, but I think that it is brilliant. The song samples the Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and then juxtaposes Michael's own lyrics about disillusionment over that theme. The result is one of the most brilliant pieces of sampling in pop music.
Yesterday- The Beatles - I agree with Miles' choice above...but I also have to include "Yesterday".
Brass In Pocket- The Pretenders - This song is all laid back attitude and Chrissie Hynde pulled this off perfectly.
Personal Jesus- Depeche Mode - I debated about this one. This is more of a personal favorite from a very interesting point in my life.
When Doves Cry- Prince - A brilliant song from one of the most underrated guitarists of the past 30 years. The song is memorable for its simple driving melody, but when you listen to it there is a whole lot of complexity underneath the pop sheen.
There are so many more songs that I think belong on this list. But I would bore everyone if I listed all of them. BTW- Thanks for creating another great music post!