Which form of intellectual property protection would best cover the music rights of an artist?

The best form of intellectual property protection for covering the music rights of an artist is copyright. Copyright is specifically designed to protect original works of authorship, including musical compositions, lyrics, and sound recordings. When an artist creates music, copyright law grants them exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and perform their work, as well as the right to create derivative works. This means that the artist can control how their music is used and monetized, which is essential for protecting their creative output and potential revenue streams.

Other forms of intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, and industrial design rights serve different purposes. Patents protect inventions or processes, trademarks protect brand identifiers and logos, and industrial design rights safeguard the visual design of objects. Since music is a creative work rather than a product invention or brand identity, copyright is the most appropriate and effective means of protecting the rights of an artist's musical creations.