The article discusses artistic research as an important perspective for music research in the 21st century. After defining artistic research, it discusses current fundamental challenges of music research and musicology and suggests artistic research as an opportunity for overcoming them. This is followed by a discussion of the sometimes problematic relationship between musicology and artistic research in historical perspective, and a critical reflection of previous forms of collaboration. The article nevertheless concludes with a plea for collaboration, which considers the new paradigm of artistic research as a space for negotiation and as a beneficial model for all those involved, and proposes artistic research as a space for the further development of music research.