Intellectual Property protection for musicians is essential. While a musician's creations are protected by common law, filing for copyright registration provides serval additional advantages, including public notice of ownership and legal evidence of ownership as well as maximum recovery of damages in the event of infringement. In addition to seeking copyright registration for musical works, it would be prudent for musicians to invest in trademark protection for their band name and/or stage name. Registering the band name or stage name gives the musician exclusive rights to use of that brand for live performances, entertainment services, etc. This is also a smart business decision if the band name or stage name will be used for merchandizing. There are particular requirements for registering band names and stage names as trademarks and therefore it is best to seek the guidance of an experienced attorney.