This link came via an iZotope email. I often give such things a cursory glance but little thought because after all, they're just advertisements - and I'm already an iZotope fan, so there's not much they need to sell me on.
 
But I took the time to listen to these five songs that they proposed as great examples of the mixing and mastering arts, and I have to agree, they are all exemplary. Put these on your studio monitors to get an idea of what your mixes should sound like: clear, with great separation. Just as you can when hearing a live performance, while listening to these songs you can easily pick out any element in the mix and listen to it, from the main melody to supporting percussion. 
 
These are the very things I listen for in my own mixes (and usually require many iterations to achieve) to know if I'm getting there or if I'm just creating mud and mush. If I hear anything close to the quality of these mixes, you can bet there's a big smile on my face. Note that you don't have to actually like any of the styles represented in this sampling; the same principles apply regardless of genre.

Damn, their Sr. Financial Analyst even got a vote.

Check them out also on a cheap mono speaker (cell phone or similar) and you can hear the definition in the separation.

like

I've heard Nicolas Jaar before, I have some of his tracks in my Spotify playlists. They're all very well mixed. 
 
I like going through Bob Katz's honor roll of dynamic recordings as well. Not quite the same thing, but some fine examples of well mastered tracks which have fantastic dynamic content. There are a few albums there which I always loved the sound of but didn't really know why, like Joe Jackson's Body and Soul and Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense. 
 
http://www.digido.com/hon...ng=en&view=article

sharke
I've heard Nicolas Jaar before, I have some of his tracks in my Spotify playlists. They're all very well mixed. 
 
I like going through Bob Katz's honor roll of dynamic recordings as well. Not quite the same thing, but some fine examples of well mastered tracks which have fantastic dynamic content. There are a few albums there which I always loved the sound of but didn't really know why, like Joe Jackson's Body and Soul and Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense. 
 
http://www.digido.com/hon...ng=en&view=article

Great link, Sharke!
That's now my playlist for the day.

An often-overlooked source is the list of past Grammy winners. No, not the chart-based categories. Ignore the "Best ____ Album" and "Best ____ Song" categories (and every other category they include in the TV show). Scroll down to near the bottom of the list for the "Best Engineered - Non-Classical" award.
 
Granted, nominees tend to be drawn from the same small group of accomplished engineers year after year, but it's because they are very good at what they do. Many of the recordings that have won this award are not widely known, since it's a technical award not based on sales numbers. 

For great-sounding pop albums, I tend to reference against my "original 1980s CD pressing" of Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms and U2's The Joshua Tree.
I guess you really have to connect to music that's close to what you're creating, and these are the most relevant to me.
 

i really dig derek trucks.
 
i thought that mix sounded like @ss.
jes sayin'

For me the best two tracks from this initial group are Snarky Puppy and Derek Trucks. Both of these tracks sound stellar and yet completely different in style.
 
One thing that is glaring to me in Snarky Puppy is the arrangement. There is just nothing superfluous in there to me. And often things are dropped out and only a few things playing at once. The arrangement is creating the clarity as well as a magical mix. What I like about this mix is this guy is not afraid to use the whole spectrum. I am total agreement with this. The concept of making mixes sound retro or old or not hi fi/pristine is just bollocks as far as I am concerned. We now have the fullest range of frequencies so USE IT!!!!!  If a band wants me to make their album sound like it was done in the 60's or 70's I tell them to get lost!
 
Neither tracks though are worlds away from the beautifully mixed Steely Dan's Everything Must Go and Two Against Nature. Also Sting's Brand New Day is also pretty incredible too. These are still very high on the list for sheer quality of mixing. The same arrangement thing also applies to Steel Dan too. 
 
You do not have to be into this music either to appreciate how great the mixes are and how great your monitors can sound. I have used the same Steely Dan tracks for setting up live PA systems too for years with any genre of music involved and the end result is always the same. Sounding really great.