“Walking on Sunshine,” recorded in 1983 by Katrina and the Waves lives on thanks to advertisers who typically pay $150,000 to $200,000 per year to use the catchy, upbeat song. It only hit e on the charts, but royalties from commercials have earned $1 million per year since the '80s, according to a former employee at EMI music, who called it the company’s “crown jewel.” It has been featured in multiple films, including “The Secret of My Success” (1987), “Daddy Day Care” (2003), “Bean” (1997), “Look Who's Talking” (1989), “American Psycho” (2000) and “High Fidelity” (2000) and on TV’s “Gilmore Girls,” “Prison Break,” “Sports Night” and “Glee.”

-R. Kerby