What does it really mean to own a song?

In this episode of Duologue, Leslie sits down with Josh Gruss, founder and CEO of Round Hill Music, to explore the hidden business behind the songs we love. From Nashville songwriting rooms to global music catalogs, Josh breaks down how songs are created, who owns them, and how royalties actually work.

They discuss the difference between songwriters and artists, why publishing rights matter, and how iconic songs can generate value for decades. The conversation also unpacks high-profile ownership disputes, including Taylor Swift’s rerecordings, and explains why music publishing is often described as the “real estate” of the music industry.

Along the way, Josh shares his unconventional career path from finance to founding one of the world’s leading music publishing companies — and why great songs tend to stand the test of time.

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