Britain's PJ Harvey beats Madonna in music poll

LONDON, UK (Reuters) - British singer-songwriter PJ Harvey is the greatest female rock and pop artist of all time, according to a music magazine poll.

Harvey, the daughter of a sheep farmer in rural Somerset, west England, beat Madonna into second place and Kate Bush into third in Q Magazine's survey of 200,000 readers.
"She (Harvey) makes music of substance and our readers respond to that," Q Magazine's editor Danny Eccleston told the Times newspaper on Monday. "Whereas we know everything about Madonna, there is a real mystique about Polly."

Harvey, 32, whose off-stage name is Polly Jean Harvey, became the first female artist in 10 years to win Britain's respected Mercury Music Prize in September. She won the award and 20,000 pounds ($28,500) for her album "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea."

Her 1992 debut album, "Dry," won critical acclaim in North America and Britain and led to successful U.S. tours. "I am a very competitive person," Harvey told Q. "If I am going to do something I want to be the best at it."

The poll leant towards younger performers, with Tori Amos and Bjork in fourth and fifth place.

Harvey beat off competition from classic artists including Janis Joplin (10th), Stevie Nicks (9th) and Aretha Franklin (11th).

Big-selling pop idols who failed to make the top 20 included Britney Spears at 24th, Mariah Carey (46th) and Whitney Houston (71st).