2. PJ Harvey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbq4G1TjKYg PJ Harvey has been a change agent for the modern female musician. She's been recording for over 20 years, yet has never put a foot wrong. One of the reasons PJ Harvey is so wonderful is her versatility; she is the modern day equivalent of David Bowie, a chameleon who keeps reinventing herself. She's put her hand to a myriad of styles in her music and image, yet every record she makes sounds like no one else on the planet. She's also a mass of contradictions, accepting an MBE despite her criticism of her native country on 'Let England Shake' and lambasting the government when she presented the Today show, confirming what a left-winger she really is. In the modern era of women in pop, PJ Harvey laid the foundations for all that a cool woman should be; individual, strong willed and unwavering. The fact she managed to be all of these things from day one provided the perfect example and inspiration to most of the tremendous women featured here; have another look at Lorde and see the PJ influence. Such is her standing within the music world that she was asked by the remaining members of Nirvana to fill Kurt Cobain's huge shoes (who was a huge PJ Harvey fan) at a tribute last year - and the rumours that this will happen when Nirvana are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in April this year are still doing the rounds. I for one would love to see that happen, it would be a fitting tribute to impact PJ Harvey has made to the world of music and who else could pull it off?
Ed Nash
Contributor
What makes music fantastic? Star quality, amazing music, breathtaking lyrics and the ability to bring something new to the table, even if that means a new take on the classics. That's what I love to listen to and write about.
As well as writing for What Culture, I occasionally write a blog http://tedney.blogspot.co.uk and sometimes use Twitter, but sparingly @TedneyNash
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