You should check out the Raspberries(from the old days) and the Vandalias(more modern, and there's audio on both links), they have a lot of the qualities you described.

Call me weird (and I am weird), but I always thought Kidney Bingos by Wire was in some way a perfect pop song.

When I hear the phrase "perfect pop song," the first thing I think of is "Sledgehammer," by Peter Gabriel. It was overplayed on the radio when it came out, but there's a reason for that.

Prospero, I like that song but I always thought of it as Gabriel's best stab at blue-eyed soul (what with the beat, the choir and his phrasing) rather than straight-up pop-rock.

Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
You Didn't Break It - Steve Vai

Strangers When We Meet - Smithereens
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something
Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club

Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress - the Hollies
Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
Good Vibrations - The Beachboys
Take Five - Dave Brubeck
Radar Love - Golden Earing

Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Ignition (Remix) - R. Kelly
How Soon is Now? - The Smiths
Bang a Gong - T. Rex
ABC - Jackson 5
Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus - Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin
Close to You - The Cure
Ballroom Blitz - The Sweet
Heart of Glass - Blondie
Train in Vain, (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais - The Clash
Double Dutch Bush - Frankie Smith
Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash
The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side - The Magnetic Fields
Galang - MIA
Quiet Village - Martin Denny
Rock With You - Micheal Jackson
Hybrid Moments - The Misfits
When You Sleep - My Bloody Valentine
Teardrop - Massive Attack
Hey Ya! - Outkast
Strawberry Fields Forever, I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
Little Red Corvette - Prince
Fight The Power - Public Enemy
Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
Color Me Impressed, Left of the Dial - The Replacements
Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
Dance the Night Away - Van Halen
Pressure Drop - Toot & the Maytals
C'est La Mort - Stereo Total
Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
Dancin Queen - ABBA
Lorelei - The Cocteau Twins
Surrender - Cheap Trick
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
Take The A Train - Duke Ellington
Sweet Jane - The Velvet Underground

Uh, I feel so...mainstream now. I'm sure I have a ton more, but I have to get back to werk.

Ha! Double Dutch Bush

Jive Talkin' - Bee Gees
Nights on Broadway - Bee Gees
You Should Be Dancing - Bee Gees
How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees
Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
Night Fever - Bee Gees
If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
More Than A Woman - Tavares
Grease - Bee Gees

Makin' a case here.

"Theme from Friends" by The Rembrandts. You know it to be true.

Is That Love - Squeeze
Here You Come Again - Dolly Parton
Zoom - Fat Larry's Band
Yes, all those Bee Gees songs too.
Blame It On The Boogie - Jacksons
Material Girl - Madonna
Smooth Operator - Sade
Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Boogie Nights - Heatwave

Oh, loads more ...

Don't forget:

September Gurls- Big Star
Red Dragon Tattoo- Fountains of Wayne
Supernova- Liz Phair

I was just chiming in to say "September Gurls" -- the pristine apotheosis of the perfect pop song.

This is probably one of the most perfect pop songs ever. And a great first dance song at a wedding.

Vacation - Go-Gos

And We Danced - Hooters (Can't forget that one)

Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John
Fly Me To The Moon - Frank Sinatra
Twilight Zone - Golden Earring
Going Back to Cali - LL Cool J

"Wannabe" - Spice Girls
"Girlfriend" - Avril Lavigne
"Go All The Way" - Raspberries
"Saturday Night" - Bay City Rollers
"Right Between The Eyes" - Wax UK
"Wore Me Down" - Rachael Yamagata
"Charm Attack" - Leona Naess
"Someday, Someway" - Marshall Crenshaw
"A Public Affair" - Jessica Simpson
"Cruel Summer" - Bananarama

I think I'd take "Oops!" over "Baby One More Time" for popfection. Just sayin'.

Borderline - Madonna
Birthday - The Sugarcubes
Interesting Drug, Everyday is Like Sunday - Morrissey
Superman, Radio Free Europe - REM
All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
Heroes, Modern Love - David Bowie
Fool in the Rain - Led Zeppelin
(Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Round and Round - Ratt
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Ladyflash - The Go! Team
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
Don't You Want Me - Human League
Tainted Love - Soft Cell

I didn't feel comfortable putting both down, so I just chose chronologically. Though "Oops!" is better, you're right.

Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly
all Buddy Holly's other records
When Will I Be Loved - Everly Brothers
Runaway - Del Shannon
Time of the Season - The Zombies
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
Easy - Commodores
Love Fool - The Cardigans

Tempted - Squeeze
Discovering Japan - Graham Parker & The Rumour
I Knew The Bride (When She Used to Rock & Roll) - Rockpile
Just about anything on the first two New Pornographers albums
Most of the Fountains of Wayne catalog
Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush
Deep Red Bells, Margaret vs. Pauline - Neko Case
Going Underground, That's Entertainment - The Jam

You Send Me - Sam Cooke
I'll Come Running Back to You - Sam Cooke
Wonderful World - Sam Cooke
Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
Cupid - Sam Cooke
Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke
Another Saturday Night - Sam Cooke
A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Makin' another case.

Going Underground, That's Entertainment - The Jam
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
Wonderful World - Sam Cooke
I almost listed these.

Love Fool - The Cardigans
agreed.

Everyday - Buddy Holly
Letter From an Occupant - The New Pornographers
Crying - Roy Orbison
Blue Moon - Elvis Presley
Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney
The Tracks of My Tears, Tears of a Clown, I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
My Girl - The Temptations
Do You Know the Way to San Jose?, I Say a Little Prayer - Dionne Warwick
Raspberry Beret - Prince
Love's Theme - Barry White Orchestra
Machine - The Commodores
Spanish Flea, Tijuana Taxi - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
The Girl From Ipanema - Getz/Gilberto
Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
(I Got Spurs) That Jingle, Jangle, Jingle - Gene Autry
In the Mood ('44) - Glenn Miller
Mr. Sandman - The Andrews Sisters
Tennessee Waltz - Peggy Lee
Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin
The Clapping Song - Shirley Ellis

Johnny & Mary - Robert Palmer
Heart and Soul - T'Pau

HA! I bet you thought this thread was cooked.