Radiohead is a must on a test track list IMO. Also a big fan of anything from Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories.
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Here’s my current list of test tracks in Tidal playlist form:
Easter egg: One of my tests for transparency and detail is how clearly I can hear Cecilia Bartoli pouring herself some water at 4:17 of Sposa son disprezzata, then - if the transparency and detail are really good - someone replacing the lid of the bottle at 4:23.
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Lately I’ve been utilizing the following tracks to test the results and improvements of my new AC Regenerator. 
The Alan Parsons Project— I Robot
IQ— Subterranea
Kraftwerk— Metal on Metal
The Police— Don’t Stand so close to me
Faith No More— The Land of Sunshine
Depeche Mode— Clean
John Foxx— Underpass
Vivaldi— The Four Seasons
Jaz Coleman— The Raven King (orchestrated)
Dream Theater— Home
Fields of the Nephilim— And There your heart will be Also.
These tracks have really helped me gauge how Clean AC power can make a difference. I’m extremely familiar and attached to these tracks, so it was an easy evaluation.
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@Nephilim_81 I would have been really disappointed if this wasn’t on your list. 
@bobmysterious and @DacTango , really interesting lists, most of which I own, so I should add them to my list too.
My test track list is already 76 songs, but I have a tendency to use the same 20, so I need to figure out why I subconsciously reach for them again and again, e.g. I want to hear the texture of the opening bass lines in Bullet To The Head by Rage Against The Machine.
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I’d like to flip this around and ask for some recommendations for test tracks, please. I could do with refreshing mine and I figure this could be a good way to discover a few new tunes. (Obviously I’d spend a lot of time becoming familiar with the tracks before using them in tests).
What would you recommend for some nice clean, clear, sparkly acoustic guitars? I’m not fussy about genre here - it could be classical guitar, flamenco, folk, or others.
How about music for testing bass textures of acoustic instruments - like tubas, sousaphones, bassoons, bass clarinets, and others?
Any suggestions for rock or jazz with really well recorded drums, especially hi-hats and cymbals?
And, finally, what would you recommend for small ensemble jazz recordings that offer excellent spatial cues while also giving a strong sense of the venue’s acoustic space? Bill Evans?
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My favorite drum-related test track is Hot For Teacher by Van Halen (hi-res 24-192 version of 1984 is the best version I’ve heard, very dynamic). It starts off with a wonderful drum solo, then the guitar kicks in, and then the drums propel the song til the end.
I also like W.M.A. by Pearl Jam (original CD of Vs. has a much better sound than the remaster). I feel like I’m inside the drum kit, with the drums being hit all around me, as I’m hearing sounds above and to the side.
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For jazz check the album “America” by trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and batterist John DeJohnette published by Tzadik (John Zorn’s label).
“Made in Chicago” by ECM label by DeJohnette is very well recorder too.
Always from ECM you can give a listen to the album’s by drummer Manu Katché. Very well mastered and recorded.
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Don’t know if it’s a concern for you but some folks also include tracks to check for the ‘downside’ - things like edge/harshness, loudness wars, poor recording quality/imaging/soundstage, etc.
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Thank you @PaisleyUnderground and @monochromios, I appreciate the recommendations. I hadn’t thought of Van Halen or Pearl Jam, and I’ve been meaning to check out Wadada Leo Smith, so thank you!
@NickZ, I do have a handful of what I jokily call “stress test tracks,” which are designed to identify problems such as sensitivity to certain sounds or frequencies. I can be sensitive to snare drum hits - I suppose some headphones have peaks in the snare drum’s range - and that’s something I make sure to test for. If I don’t wince, the headphones stay!
I’ve got other tracks for treble smoothness and extension as well as imaging and soundstage. But I’d be keen to hear suggestions!
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I think test tracks are those songs that you are very familiar with. Some good advice I got " More than any specific tracks, I recommend starting with music you know best, favorite tunes you’ve listened to for years, and then listen to how the speaker, headphones, etc., you’re considering changes, improves, or degrades the sound of your favorite tunes. Don’t be surprised if the results are inconsistent; some tracks might be a lot better, and some might be a lot worse on different speakers and headphones. Try not to base a buying decision on just one or two tunes."
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Yes, I hear you - that’s why I added the caveat “Obviously I’d spend a lot of time becoming familiar with the tracks before using them in tests.”
The thing is that I’m at risk of overplaying and wearing out my current test tracks as @fzman1956 noted above. That’s partly why I’d like to mix things up a bit and find some new tracks.
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What using a LP or a download or a CD or streaming ? Just want to be sure I follow.
Oh absolutely. Luckily for me one of my favorite bands has some audiophile grade recordings. The album “Elyzium “ has some incredible production and mixing done by Andy Jackson, who of course is responsible for a few terrific Pink Floyd Offerings like the Division Bell.
Above all though, I have the MFSL SACD of I ROBOT and that is really the holy grail for me when I test gear.
I hope others will buy an original master recording of I Robot on here. It is a bit pricey but what you get is sonic perfection. Best version you can get.
The 2008 remasters are garbage compared to it.
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Never mind, any time.
I hope it helps.
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That was meant figuratively, sorry. As in overplaying - hearing the same piece of music too often
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My test tracks (above) are consciously split between (1) stuff I’ve heard a lot and know well. Even if not my favorites, I’ve heard them 100s of times and easily tolerate another listen. (2) Problem tracks and unusual tracks that can sound good or bad per the system. (3) Rotating fresh content that’s either driven by vocals, acoustic instruments, or complex studio production methods. These add value for assessing audio transparency and staging.
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Thanks for the reminder about your awesome post above, @generic - I’ll go through it this weekend. I’m familiar with the majority of your tracks but there’s plenty new or unfamiliar to keep me busy. I love that you took the time to add your notes. Thank you.
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I agree with you 100%. I randomly built a playlist of songs I like and then gravitated towards certain songs to test drums, guitar tone, female voices etc. I deliberately didn’t choose my all time favorite songs, which were probably overplayed already, but even so, I’m getting to the point where I’m starting to get sick of them. So now I need to rebuild that list.
I’ve tried using whole albums for more relaxed testing (instead of frenetically listing to the same 20 seconds of a song again and again) and that’s helping a bit. For instance, if I have an AC/DC song in my original list, I’ll listen to a different AC/DC album instead, to get the same feel.
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Tabla Beat Science. Their Live in San Francisco DVD is very good for a live album, but Tala Matrix has some gems. Santana’s “Africa Speaks” has some fantastic drumwork, and it’s brilliantly recorded.
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That’s a good process, @generic. While there are a few songs I frequently use, I don’t have a rigorous list. I probably should develop one.
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