PJ Harvey

United Kingdom, 1988–now

English singer-songwriter (b. 1969) from Dorset. From the scraped trio blues of Dry and Rid of Me to the war reporting of Let England Shake, she has rebuilt her voice and instrumentation for almost every record, and is the only artist to have won the Mercury Prize twice.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced PJ Harvey and 1 artist PJ Harvey influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced PJ Harvey?

• Captain Beefheart — Harvey has said her staple listening since childhood was Howlin' Wolf, Captain Beefheart and Hendrix; Beefheart's broken blues shapes the guitar on Dry and Rid of Me.
• Howlin' Wolf — Howlin' Wolf is the first name on that list, and the source of the voice she uses when she wants weight.
• Jimi Hendrix — Hendrix is the third of the three she names.
• Bob Dylan — Dylan is among the music Harvey's parents played her, and stands behind the writing rather than the sound.

Which artists did PJ Harvey influence?

• Bikini Kill — PJ Harvey is among the women riot grrrl looked to as proof that a woman could front a loud band on her own terms.