UPDATE: It ended not being the brand necessarily. I used a CD drive cleaner and all seems fixed: http://joelmarcey.com/2009/01/05/macbook-pro-superdrive-burn-problems-update-fixed-with-laser-lens-cleaner/
This weekend I went to the Apple Store Genius Bar to see if they could find a resolution to my slot drive problems.
Well, it was the CD-R brand after all! I showed the Genius Bar representative my problems with my Sony (Brand A – I don’t need to protect the innocent anymore) and my Memorex (Brand B) CD-Rs. She popped in a Staples brand CD-R (Yes, a Staples Brand!!!), and it burnt an iTunes playlist flawlessly.
Thus it seems the MacBook Pro slot drive is finicky; but better than having it sent in for repairs. 
I am heading to Staples soon. 
Pingback: A Life of Constant Flux » Blog Archive » MacBook Pro SuperDrive Burn Problems Update: Fixed with Laser Lens Cleaner!?!
holy crap! i had the EXACT same issue with sony and memorex cd-rs! and my local apple store did the SAME THING with the staples branded cd-r! boy was that a shock to me…cheaper media is BETTER for the superdrive than more expensive media!
strangely, most of my audio cds that ive burned using itunes have had staticky/hissy noises towards the end of the tracks (last few tracks per disc). this happens to most, if not all of my MANY brands of cd-rs.
this will be the third time ive gotten the superdrive replaced (1st was an updated matshita drive, 2nd was HL-ST whatever, and the 3rd, which i sent to applecare, is coming back to me on monday). if it happens again (which im sure it will), im getting rid of it. my mbp is a phenominal machine, but if it cant do a simple task like burn an audio cd, then it really is no good.
Hi Anchit,
Thanks for the comment.
Well, in the end, the brand of CD-R ended up being a red herring. In the end all I needed was a CD cleaner. I wrote an updated blog post:
http://joelmarcey.com/2009/01/05/macbook-pro-superdrive-burn-problems-update-fixed-with-laser-lens-cleaner/