A musician who writes and records music weekly should protect with which form of intellectual property?

• A. Copyright
• B. Trademark
• C. Patent
• D. License

Answer: (A)

Creative works like songs and recordings are protected by copyright. When you write a melody, craft lyrics, or record a performance, you fix that expression in a tangible form, and copyright protection attaches automatically. It gives you exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform publicly, and create derivative works, for as long as the applicable term lasts. For someone who writes and records music weekly, copyright best shields the actual musical works and the recordings you produce.

Trademark, by contrast, protects brand identifiers—your artist name, logo, or any distinctive mark used to identify your goods or services in commerce. It doesn’t protect the music itself. Patent covers inventions or novel technical processes, which isn’t relevant to music. Licensing is not a protection type; it’s a permission you grant to others to use protected material or brand under agreed terms.