Your Go to CD to Impress

  Dire Straits Communique  is a good one.
  The Eagles Hotel  California
   Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here

Depends entirely on the genre of music that appeals to the skeptic / news listener.

if it's pop or classic rock then it's Dire Straits -- Brothers in Arms -- BUT especially the XRCD pressing. 

If I can't get a specific song, artist or genre, I like to ask whether they want to hear something they may of heard before or something that they've probably never heard before. Surprise me could get you the Kamikaze Ground Crew, Danny Gatton, or maybe the Amazos. 

All- excellent suggestions- add;
Jamie Cullum- Twentysomething (2004) Verve (CD or SACD)
Stone Temple Pilots- Core (CD or DVD-Audio)
Nirvana- Unplugged, Live in NY (CD)
Pearl Jam- Ten  (CD)

Real good tread for sharing new high quality recordings. Thanks Styxtrekr.
I will go with The Ancient Muse by Loreena McKennitt, and Solar Echoes by Nigel Stanford.
If the recording is engineered very poorly, regardless of the content I'm always left with the feeling I wasted my time.