Best song for immediate impact when presenting or testing?

John Lee Hooker "Boom Boom"
On Classic Records 24/96 DAD.

I saw Hiatt on his Slow Turning tour, and he and his band were fantastic. He had Sonny Landreth, a superb slide guitarist, in his band then. Sonny's solo albums are mighty fine too.

@astewart8944 - Thanks for your response. I appreciate the feedback. And yep, it's a good one.....

@reubent Just listened to Hiatt's "Feels Like Rain"--very well done. Thanks for the recommendation.

@cmjones - I prefer John Hiatt's original version of "Feels Like Rain", by a wide margin, over the Aaron Neville version. Neville is a undoubtedly a great vocalist. However, John Hiatt's interpretation of his own song is more raw and emotional.

Have you heard the original version, on Hiatt's "Slow Turning" album? I've used it as a reference many times over the years.....

Feenbrothers plays Brubeck. One mic live recording. Completely phase coherent. Even the youtube sample sounds great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92h_GJnHiGI

What has worked best for me is to play something the listener is familiar with and actually wants to hear. That elicits a much greater response than me assuming what they like.

The new one mic recording from Sound Liaison with Carmen Gomes is very impressive.
I was at the Audio Show Alkmaar 2019 and three different speaker manufactures were using the Carmen Gomes ''Don't You Cry'' album.
I bought the red book CD at the show. 
Carmen is selling it via her BandCamp site; https://carmengomes.bandcamp.com/music

I also have the DXD download from https://www.soundliaison.com/

millercarbon actually totally gets it, albeit he/she comes off a bit self-righteous. In thirty years of ‘demos’ I’ve found it best to ease your guest(s) into the music by slowly engaging them with something simple... and not try to impress with SPL or intensity. As the listening session progresses I’ve found it best to slowly increase the complexity with each selection. Works every time— and yes, this is where women become completely engaged. The ‘dudes’ that are expecting to get their faces melted from Money For Nothing are a little surprised at first, but I treat them with a cut like that at the end of the session— and by then, everyone is into it and completely drawn in... this, by slowly engaging in the process of active LISTENING, allowing everyone to relax and settle in at the beginning.

millercarbon’s comment about why there are hardly any women audiophiles is SO true, I just had to laugh.

Been sharing my system and doing demo listening sessions for about 35 years... and my friends have come to expect it to be something like sailing or a day at the spa. Music on a great system can be a magical experience— especially for first timers. If we’re good (audiophile) stewards, they’ll beg us to invite them over again.

Note: For maximum effect I have extremely comfortable seating choices and I turn off all the lights. I mean— I create a TOTAL blackout (panel lights, any and all light is removed). I also make sure the noise floor is as low as possible. (HVAC and cell phones are silenced, etc). This creates a kind of sensory deprivation, and can make ALL the difference in enhancing the overall experience.

Ok... now back to the initial question: My ALL TIME starter is the first track, ‘Wenyukela’ from Ladysmith Black Mambzo’s Grammy-winning Raise Your Spirit Higher Telarc surround SACD. It has ZERO instruments! Vocal only. S African voices in choir form that are so beautifully sung and arranged that, from the first note the experience becomes transcendent. I’ve noticed that if we give listeners the least amount of reference possible, they will immediately turn off their analytical mind and instead fall into a state where they’re more likely to be drawn in emotionally. The fact that they’re hearing voices in a foreign language and arangement style that’s totally unfamiliar means listeners will focus only on the beauty of the breathtaking SOUND instead of the message, clever poetry, the punch of the bass drum or even make a chronological reference due to the era in which it was recorded. I’m a hi res digi guy. My rig is a correctly set up full blown pro mastering level surround system (Emm Labs 6-ch head end). This recording is absolutely THE BEST way to start it off. What blows guests away is the sheer simplicity. Telarc really nailed it with this one and I can see why it won the Grammy in 2004. If you get the surrounds and subs balanced, it’s a complete 3D sound experience; it’s spellbinding— and especially in the dark. Musically it’s a warm blanket on a cold night.

Then, I’ll move onto other artists and genres more familiar, adding a few more simple instruments and complexity of production as I go. Over the decades I’ve found this kind of demo hands down works the best. I even start with only half my rig turned on (Genelec Active), then as the evening progresses I turn on the large format JBL studio monitors; six (4435s) with six Crown Ref 1 amps to melt their faces... lol... until they finally get Sting’s voice flying around their heads “I want my, ... my MTV”. :-)

millercarbon actually totally gets it, albeit although he/she comes off a bit self-righteous. In thirty years of ‘demos’ I’ve found it best to ease your guest(s) into the music by slowly engaging them with something simple... and not try to impress with SPL or intensity. As the listening session progresses I’ve found it best to slowly increase the complexity and intensity with each selection. Works every time— and yes, this is where women become completely engaged. The ‘dudes’ that are expecting to get their faces melted from Money For Nothing are a little surprised at first, but I end up treating them with a cut like that at the end of the session— and by then, everyone is into it and completely drawn in... this, by slowly taking in the process of active LISTENING, yet allowing themselves to relax and settle in at first. millercarbon’s comment about why there are hardly any women audiophiles is SO true, I just had to laugh. Been sharing my system and doing listening sessions for 30 years... and my friends have come to expect something like like sailing on an alpine lake or a day at the spa. Music on a great system can be a magical experience— especially for first timers. If we’re good (audiophile) stewards, they’ll beg you to invite them over again. Note: For maximum effect I have extremely comfortable seating choices and I turn off all the lights. I mean— I create a TOTAL blackout (panel lights, any and all light is removed). I also make sure the noise floor is as low as possible. (HVAC and cell phones are silenced, etc). This creates a kind of sensory deprivation, and can make ALL the difference in enhancing the overall experience.

Ok... now back to the initial question:  My ALL TIME starter is the first track, ‘Wenyukela’ from Ladysmith Black Mambzo’s Grammy-winning Raise Your Spirit Higher Telarc surround SACD. It has ZERO instruments! Vocal only.  S African voices in choir form that are so beautifully sung and arranged that, from the first note the experience becomes transcendent. I’ve noticed that if we give listeners the least amount of reference possible, they will immediately turn off their analytical mind and instead fall into a state where they’re more likely to be drawn in emotionally. The fact that they’re hearing voices in a foreign language and arangement style that’s totally unfamiliar means listeners will focus only on the beauty of the breathtaking SOUND instead of the message, clever poetry, the punch of the bass drum or even make a chronological reference due to the era in which it was recorded. I’m a hi res digi guy. My rig is a correctly set up full blown pro mastering level surround system (Emm Labs 6-ch head end). This recording is absolutely THE BEST way to start it off. What blows guests away is the sheer simplicity. Telarc really nailed it with this one and I can see why it won the Grammy in 2004. If you get the surrounds and subs balanced, it’s a complete 3D sound experience; it’s spellbinding— and especially in the dark. Musically it’s a warm blanket on a cold night. 

Then, I’ll move onto other artists and genres more familiar, adding a few more simple instruments and complexity of production as I go. Over the decades I’ve found this kind of demo hands down works the best. I even start with only half my rig turned on (Genelec Active), then as the evening progresses I turn on the large format JBL studio monitors; six (4435s) with six Crown Ref 1 amps to melt their faces... lol... until they finally get Sting’s voice flying around their heads “I want my, ... my MTV”. :-) 

There are so many great tunes which were well recorded... When I was selling audio gear in the early 80's I used Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark for vocals.. if I wanted to show off dynamics or impact of a kick drum I used Bruce Cockburn's Wondering where the lions are.. Heard that once on a pair of Infinity Rs 4.5's driven by a Mark Levinson ML 3. Search that one out. Again so many great ones to use.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood-  Welcome to the Pleasure Dome; the whole album.

This is pretty amazing Sound Quality;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=70ExO947Gs8

I just heard the ATCSCm40 speakers,  'wow' and super 'wow'.  The track they played was Sans Saens - Danse Macabre.  I know this track well but hearing it through these speakers bought out the full majesty of this music.  The speakers have this skill of portraying the actual tone/timbre of the musical instrument.  This piece has various instruments playing this lovely sort of demonic/cemetery tune, hearing the violins was exquisite pleasure. Also I could hear each instrument seperately in the orchestra or enjoy the full orchestra at once. The whole experience was like a thrilling ride on the big dipper in a fair ground!

Here are a few
Johnny A-Two Wheel Horse
Steely Dan-Royal Scam
Dire Straits-6 Blade Knife
Jeff Golub-Drop Top
Joyce Cooling-Green Impala
Jimmy Thackery-Minor Step
Steve Hunter-222 W 23rd
Mark Lettieri-Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Rammstein-Du Hast
Megadeth-Symphony Of Destruction
Harvey Mandel-Baby Batter
The Aristocrats-Bad Asteroid
Jethro Tull-Bouree
Grinder Switch-Pick'n The Blues
Vince Guardali-Linus And Lucy
Deadato-Super Strut
Bela Fleck And The Flecktones-Sinister Minister 
Bela Fleck And The Flecktones -Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo
Pink Floyd-Various Diff songs
Jackson Browne-Sergio Leone
Joe Bonamassa-Several His Songs
Lee Ritenour-Boss
Infected Mushroom-Never Mind

https://www.amazon.com/Round-Up-Erich-Kunzel/dp/B000FKO40C

If your system give wide and deep soundstage, then this CD will impress your guest.

My system give holographic image of the first track.

Horses are moving around.

Thomas

Seems that marking a playlist as public is not sufficient. Here's the link: https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/2104851

Greetings all. Thanks for playing. I created a public playlist on Qobuz called Cheap & Tawdry. It's about 80% accurate. Some tracks I couldn't find, and I often selected another from the same artist. When a whole album was called out, I picked the first track. 

The variety of songs is wider than I expected. Some are amazing, many are good to great, others leave me puzzled. As always, de gustibus non disputandum est. Cheers!

My first go to is "Ode to a Butterfly" by Nickle Creek

The best song, or piece of music, in my opinion, is the one that is a favorite of your guest.

It is close to their heart. It has emotional resonance for them. They think they know it so well that they might say that it’s virtually tattooed into their brain.

You invite them over, you ask for their favorites, you pick one, throw it on the table, drop the needle and play.

And then you watch their eyes as they go from an expression of incredulity to tears.

Its worked over a dozen times for me.

Great thread, OP, got me listening to some old stone-cold classics and adding many new ones to my "must listen to" list.  Here's a couple more - 

Billy Cobham - "Searching for the Right Door/Spectrum" from Spectrum.  Great drums on intro and throughout, excellent PRAT qualities.  

Massive Attack - "Inertia Creeps" from Mezzanine.

Lake Street Dive - "Mistakes" from Side Pony.

First Aid Kit - "Emmylou" from The Lion's Roar.

Morphine - "Dawna/Bueno" from Cure for Pain.

And lately I keep returning to the recent Handel's Italian Cantatas performed by Sabine Devieilhe, Lea Desandre, and Emmanuelle Haim.  

My two cents..

1.  Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” for all the reasons previously cited.  This one’s a jazz classic.

2.  Jazz at the Pawnshop, vol 1, especially “Limehouse Blues” & “High Life”.  Not only terrific jazz but masterfully engineered. The detail, the dynamic range & the imaging will really shine on a good system. I especially like the interplay between the alto sax and the marimbas.  My face always hurts after a good listen (too much smiling)

3.  A recent find & current fav is Cyndi Lauper’s “At Last”, title track & “Until You Come Back to Me” in particular. Vocals can really show the strengths of a nice system, as well as expose weaknesses.  Cyndi’s voice will test your system and please your ears.  A two-fer.

Vinyl: Neil Diamond, Hot (August Night) side 3 "Canta Libre" or "Morningside"

Vinyl: Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon) "Time"

Vinyl: Herb Alpert't Tijuana  Brass (Whipped Cream & Other Delights) any cut

CD: Hillbilly Winos (Live from the Living Room) any cut

CD: Van Morrison (Avalon Sunset) "These Are The Days"

CD: Pink Floyd (Division Bell) "High Hopes" or any other cut

CD: Sting (all this time) "Perfect Love", "Moon Over Bourbon Street"

CD: Jane Monheit (The Very Best Of) "Hit The Road To Dreamland"

CD: Hugh Masekela (hope) "Stimela" (The Coal Train)

Anything Sade

So many more that I might choose......Jim

+1 Factory Girl

Kandace Springs Breakdown
La Vie (Pop Mix) Philippe Saisse
Elton John Rocket Man    Honky Chateau
Gordon Lightfoot   If You Could Read My Mind 
It Ain't No Use   Trombone Shorty   Parking Lot Symphony
Lake Street Dive  I Want You Back    Fun Machine
Whirlpool  Seal  The Rare Collection
a-ha  The Sun Always Shines on TV   MTV Unplugged Summer Solstice
Michael Hedges   Aerial Boundaries   Pure Michael Hedges
Splendor in the Grass   Pink Martini
God of Wonders  Paul Baloche   (live)
The Ladder  Paula Cole   Harbinger
I Don't Know   Shawn Colvin   The Greatest 60's Album 
Along the Road  Dan Fogelberg   Live at Carnegie Hall
Friends   Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble    Mr Machine
Be Here Now   Ray LaMontagne   Til the Sun Turns Black
Driving    Everything But the Girl    Acoustic
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay  Sara Barieilles   Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse
The Windmills of Your Mind   Alison Moyet   Voice (reissue Deluxe)
Cantaloop (Flip Out)  Manhattan Transfer   The Junction 
Humilitas    Lesiem    Auracle 

I didn't select these to impress people, but are some that I use in assessment of audio system performance. However, with an extreme system several of these are impressive performances.  In reviewing I use lists such as this to not only tell the limits of the system's performance, but tune the system. 

This thread has been making me happy all week.  I made a playlist in Roon (why oh why is there not an easy way to export this for other Roonies?)  Between Tidal and Qobuz, only 2-3 of these titles can't be streamed.

Even the stuff that's outside my wheelhouse has been worth a spin.  

Thanks, guys.

Not sure what everyones criteria for testing out a system but I don't understand how some of the listed tunes above can provide any valuable input.  Just my opinion.  I look for more natural recordings of instruments and vocals, something with dynamic swings, and complex passages.  I want to know how a system reproduces the space in the soundstage and the tone of each instrument.

Jaco Pastorius, Rickie Lee Jones POP POP, just to name a few.

Happy Listening.  

"Taking in the View" - Uncle Lucius

Live "Secret Samadhi" (HDCD)
START TO FINISH GUARANTEED😉😎

For rafter-shaking bass - Last mvmt. of the Mahler 10th conducted by Simon Rattle with the Bournemouth, which contains more of the Mahler "thuds" than the other last 5 symphonies.
For tightness of drum shots - "Tricycle" by Flim and the BB's

My main album to audition speakers for the past few years has been "Another Lifetime" by Simon Phillips.  It is well written, well played and very well recorded.  I got them to play it in the SVS room at Capital Audiofest a few years ago and in the 5 minutes it was playing, three different people picked-up the case to see what it was.  It takes about 2 minutes for it to really get going.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz-Vs-jdJIU

Billie Jean. Winterplay
Tin Pan Alley. SRV
Jack of Speed. Steely Dan
Melody. Stones
Weird Fishes. Radiohead
These are more of a list of speaker test songs. They will definitely show you how the different styles sound but they won’t really blow your hair back. 

Haelos Full Circle Album:  Pray
                                           Dust
                                            Earth Not Above

NOTE:  People are surprise by such an undiscovered group from the UK

Beck Albumn:  Heart is a Drum
                         Morning
NOTE:  Heard this plenty at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest

London Grammar:  Hey Now

Weltentraum Live Albumn by Michael Wollny
Little Person

NOTE:  Best demo for bass extension you will ever hear

1. Gino Vanelli’s Powerful People 1974
2. I second Take Five, Dave Brubeck
3. Chuck Mangione’s Children of Sanchez 1978
4. The Feeling of Jazz by Dianne Reeves with Wynton Marsalis

My first choice ( a “GREAT” prentation track chosen then by the store) Im a senior in HS and listen to this in North Miami Beach at the very first Sound Advice store (now long gone high-end chain started with drug money). Saved up and bought my first pair of Infinity’s. Gino still has an amazing voice! The entire album “POWERFUL PEOPLE” is stellar. 

# 2 A top 5 all-time jazz hit 

# 4 last year in Tampa Florida “made me” buy new speakers replacing B&W N802’s with Paradigm Persona 7F’s. A Very good digital presentation track listen to it and you can understand the store using it as a great demo track.

# 3 the percussion and Chuck’s flugelhorn are terrific!

Happy listening to all, looking forward to everyone’s responses..
Dave

A few from my test CD's

New Years Eve on the Waterfront - Peter Schneider and the Stimulators
Temple Caves- Micky Hart, Planet Drum
Beat Hotel - Allen Taylor
A Perfect Moment - Art Garfunkel
Gravity - Jesse Cook

Always fun to learn about new music!

Frank Sinatra "Live at the Sands", "One for my Baby".
I appreciate the 3 dimensional clinking off the champagne glasses when the song is recognized and the buss boy cleaning off the bar.

Anything from the extensive 'Plasmatics' catalog......;-)

Qui, Qui and more Qui.  More sound in a groove than a full orchestra and you can hear every single sound.  

For listeners that enjoy vocals, especially female vocals: "Bells and Roses", "If I Were a Man", or anything else really on Roseanne Cash's 10 Song Demo album. This audition made a wife of a buddy insist he upgrade his gear in several ways I suggested.

Somewhat more tawdry: "Free Me" off Joss Stone's album Colour Me Free.

OK, tawdry-er yet, Lou Reed performing "Sweet Jane" on the Live on Letterman: Music From The Late Show.

And, for flat out out crazy, ignite a party, turn it up tawdry-ness, "Snow Bunny" by Bootsy Collins off of his World Wide Funk disc.

Or, whatever they want to hear... ;-)

Good recommendations. I listened to Miles Gurtu . Very interesting.

Nice to find some new ones to try ...

A couple mentions here of my usuals:
Brubeck Take 5
Holly Cole off Temptation ... usually Train Song but several work

A new favorite is Hallelujah from The (Canadian) Tenors

Famous Blue Raincoat by Jennifer Warnes  —  the song from the album of the same name. Crystal clear highs , well defined bass and a near perfect reproduction of the female vocalist. I never go on any audio journey without it. And I love the song.

Dead Can Dance “Yulunga Spirit Dancer” from Into The Labyrinth
Also, this entire thread is a great reference!

Peter Gabriel  "Up" must listen to all tracks!😎

+1 for Bozzio Stevens & Levin "Black Light Syndrome"  entire album!
Also Glenn Hughes "The Way it is" and Joe Satriani (self titled)😎

This list gives me a nice cross-section of musical tastes and moods that I typically find myself engaging in and brings out the best in my admittedly mid-fi system:

Frank Morgan "Mood Indigo" CD
Miles Davis "Freddie The Freeloader" from "Kind Of Blue"
Jaco Pastorius "Continuum" off his self-title debut album
Bob Dylan "Things Have Changed"
Lyle Lovett (anything)
Pat Metheny (anything)
Steely Dan (most anything, but "Only A Fool Would Say That" from "Can't Buy A Thrill" and "West Of Hollywood" off "Two Against Nature" in particular)
Dave Grusin’s "Migration" CD
Shivaree, track "Goodnight Moon"
Jerry Joseph "Happy Book"
Karl Richter’s interpretation of Bach’s "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor"
Alison Krauss + Union Station "Live" CD
Mahler’s 9th from Claudio Abbado + Lucerne Festival Orchestra

Into Your Arms -- Nick Cave 
I created many Nick Cave fans after playing, great natural mid bass and deep vocals

Radiohead --  Codex   
I think it's a simple song about spiritual awaking/welcoming  and the music supports Thom York's meaning

Oops. To clarify on Dire Straits "Your Latest Trick", it's actually a trumpet that starts out low in the back of the stage and then the sax that comes to the front.  Great effect non the less.