Consciously or not, we all analyze previous productions and try to apply the innovations of past masters in our own way. Dark Side of the Moon, American Idiot, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Thriller - all analyzed to death, and all have inspired and informed subsequent productions. Sometimes, though, a truly groundbreaking masterpiece is overlooked simply because it succeeded so well as just another radio-friendly earworm. 
 

 
What are your favorite examples of real genius disguised as a pop tune? Either a recognized hit, or something more obscure that maybe the public wasn't ready for at the time. In the non-hit category I'd offer "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" by Klaatu, and unexpectedly covered by The Carpenters. As well as the entire concept album "Hope" by the largely ignored but musically-inventive and Beatle-esque Toronto band Klaatu. Under the "hit" category, maybe "Africa" by Toto - a song with such a great sing-along hook that you don't notice how great the overall production is.

and rundgren's loving cover of good vibrations.

ABC's 'Lexicon of Love' album was a benchmark in pop production by Trevor Horn. I loved the single 'All of My Heart', such a '3-D' sound.
 

I've always felt the back side of Abbey Road was absolute genius, the way all of the songs interplay into a medley.  If I start to listen, I have to listen to the entire album side without interruption.    Topped off by the hidden, "Her Majesty". 

Pet Sounds

Great find, I haven't seen that video before. Re -the high bass line, this is done fairly much throughout Pet Sounds. GV is recorded in his "sections" style.
I'm a big Brian Wilson devotee myself ... enough to know I shouldn't emulate him in anything I do on Sonar.
The Pet Sounds sessions highlights are an enlightening demonstration of Brian's studio techniques, along with the "Behind The Sounds" series available on YouTube, for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3f6ZKQ_ffo  
Also see the way Brian arranges that magical intro to California Girls at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4IcDgNRPQ4&t=142s  (who would chance an intro of that duration these days?)
He did all that on four track at the age of 23. 
A good insight into that and other musical genius is demonstrated on the film "The Wrecking Crew" - the LA super sessions group (Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Tommy Tedesco, Glen Campbell, etc).
And then there was Smile, fairly much all in sections ...
jdf

Great examples mentioned.
Oldfields "Moonlight Shadow" and Bostons "More than a feeling" are brilliant works as well, even though worn to the bone already. The sheer ease of perfection is stunning. To me Steve Harleys "Make me smile" is, in its plain simplicity a masterpiece as well as his "Sebastian".
Pocos "Keep on trying" was something that made me shiver.
Then there's some Italian stuff that belong to the royalty of pop in my books, like "I treni di Tozeur "
(Alice & Franco Battiato... if only Franco was a bit more charismatic singer :o/) or "Per Elisa" (Alice). Those are from the 80's. There's quite many excellent Italian ones, even though the names escape me now (well, Mia as an obvious one). They have a magic touch of their own, even though you can't call their front line pioneers or innovators per se.
 

Hall and Oates "She's Gone" by Todd Rundgren
 
Great suspense and use of dynamics and wonderful recording quality.

Rundgren's "Sweeter Memories"
 

Rundgrens' "Just One Victory"