This paper investigates the linear stability of both uniform and non-uniform density plane mixing layers with special emphasis on the effect of the wake component in the velocity profile. Velocity and density profiles for laminar flows are obtained from analytic profiles. Mixing layers with wakes have two generalized inflection points and two unstable modes-sinuous and varicose modes. For uniform density mixing layers, sinuous modes are more unstable than varicose modes, which shows wakes will be destabilized by sinuous modes. For non-uniform density mixing layers with high density in high speed flows, sinuous modes are more unstable than varicose modes. For non-uniform density mixing layers with high density in low speed flows, varicose modes can be more unstable than sinuous modes.