PJ Harvey is a risk-seeking songwriter. Penning and performing numerous songs about sex, violence and madness, there’s seemingly no subject matter that will scare the artist off. She is one of the most fiercely independent modern writers and one of the greatest artists in alternative rock.

PJ Harvey’s writing is so believable that many, wrongly, assume the stories she writes are her own. She is also highly consistent. Hers is the body of work that few in alt-rock have matched.

Zooming in on only a few songs by the artist is not easy. Still, these are the 10 best songs by PJ Harvey.

The Greatest 10 Songs by PJ Harvey

10. “Sheela-na-gig”

Polly Jean Harvey was still a very young musician when she recorded her solo debut, “Dry.” But you wouldn’t be able to tell from the songs. There are no traces of immaturity and hints of doubt. The vision is crystal clear, and the execution is top-notch.

Most of this can be attributed to PJ Harvey’s knack for finding interesting, unsettling stories. But on the wonderful “Sheela-na-gig”, you can trace some of her influences.

These include a love for darkly quirky subject matter, a la Frank Black of Pixies, and a passion for the dynamics of alternative-rock. Still, even in 1992, there was nobody who quite sounded like PJ Harvey.

9. “Man Size”

PJ Harvey claims that she spent years before finding the courage to perform her own songs. That’s surprising. The courage and wild abandon with which she approaches material found on sophomore record, “Rid of Me,” is sensational.

The alt-rock edge of the PJ Harvey trio is pushed to the extreme here. An important part of that is due to the production of Steve Albini. The producer had also worked with Pixies and Nirvana, bands that Harvey admired.

The lyrical content is also pushed further into choppy waters. Many interpreted “Many Size” as a feminist anthem. Indeed, the lyrics have the power of a political demonstration. And the concept of wishing to accept any transformation in order to succeed feels as modern for pop music as ever.

8. “To Bring You My Love”

Was PJ Harvey the devil? If not, it certainly sounded like she was a close acquaintance. At the very least, while her female contemporaries were largely fascinated by holy matters, Harvey doesn’t shy away from investigating the dark side.

The minimalist playing style that characterizes Harvey’s records is here. “To Bring You My Love” is a blues-rock prophecy about terrible characters coming to town. It spells bad news for most people. But not Harvey. She’s willing to curse down Heaven to bring her love.

7. “Good Fortune”

“Good Fortune” is one of the most palatable of Harvey’s songs. Consequently, it’s one of the few ones that you might have heard on the radio at respectable hours.

It’s another terrific composition. And, above anything, it proves that PJ Harvey’s songs never relied only on shock tactics. You’ll find yourself singing to the chorus. But that’s just how the author intended it.

6. “C’Mon Billy”

It didn’t take PJ Harvey long to develop into something of a method actress. But the parts she played were ever-shifting. Those parts were the troubled characters of her songs.

Harvey interpreted each role so well that many began to confuse the singer with the character.

“C’Mon Billy” is another song about an individual tortured by resentment and lust. It’s a perfectly crafted song, and one of Harvey’s best vocal performances.

5. “When Under Ether”

While PJ Harvey may have been accused of it, she was never a shock rocker. She didn’t build a fanbase merely of sad, disenchanted youths. And her songs rarely told the same story twice.

For the “White Chalk” album, however, PJ Harvey does allow herself the luxury of allowing in her own distress. There are songs about devils, murderers, and lustful characters on it. But it’s the ode to dodging reality, “When Under Ether”, that’s the most powerful cut on the record.

4. “Black Hearted Love”

Part of PJ Harvey’s creative success was due to her collaborators. Throughout her career, she’s chosen to work, typically, with the same personnel. Thus, it seemed fitting that she should also share the billing on “A Woman A Man Walked By” with her oldest musical partner, John Parish.

“Black Hearted Love” is a hard-to-resist track dedicated to love and violence. The shoegaze-like guitar sound contrasts with the devilish vocals and provides Parish and Harvey with a great composition.

3. “This is Love”

Great musical artists manage to find originality in cliches. It’s not the flashiness of PJ Harvey’s guitar playing that is great. It’s her unique touch. Similar things can be said about her singing and her compositions.

“This is Love” is from the highly praised 2000 release “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.” It’s, essentially, a pop song about the pleasures of kinky sex. There are plenty of those. But there aren’t many written by the great PJ Harvey.

2. “Down By the Water”

The story told in “Down By the Water” is so convincing that PJ Harvey had to endure years of questioning by fans about abandoning her baby by the river. But that must be the price paid by a genuinely sensational storyteller.

Acting out the part of the sultry and morally ambiguous protagonist, PJ Harvey delivers one of the smartest, most striking songs to become a hit single during the 1990s.

1.”Rid of Me”

PJ Harvey can tell very complex stories. But she can also yell out short threats. Both are marvelously effective.

“Rid of Me” is a sparse composition. It allows the PJ Harvey Trio, one of alt-rock’s finest bands, to stir up tension and work with the song’s dynamics.

By the time that Harvey launches into screams and calls out “Don’t you wish you never met me!” it all sounds as serious as a heart attack.

“Rid of Me” Is one of the greatest songs in alternative rock and a shining moment for one of the most creative artists in the genre.