Dry
by PJ Harvey

Dry by PJ Harvey
Year: 1992
Release date: 1992-03-30
Overall rank: 1,306th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
79/100 (from 360 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 20 albums of 1992 (20th)
Award Top albums of the 1990s (238th)
Award Best albums of all time (1,306th)

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Product Details
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Dry by Harvey, Pj (CD, 2001)
Condition: Brand New


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PJ Harvey Dry (Vinyl) 12" Album (UK IMPORT)
Condition: New


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PJ Harvey - "Dry" - 1992 Compact Disc (Idigo Records/Too Pure) VG
Condition: Very Good


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PJ Harvey bestography

Dry is ranked 5th best out of 22 albums by PJ Harvey on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by PJ Harvey is Let England Shake which is ranked number 278 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 5,857.

PJ Harvey album bestography « Higher ranked (763rd)
Rid Of Me
This album (1,306th)
Dry
Lower ranked (1,812th) »
White Chalk

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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Dry rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 1,306th | 1990s rank: 238th | 1992 rank: 20th
Filter Filter
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YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026lanadeleswiftTop 38 Music Albums of 199223/382
2026matterhornriderTop 52 Music Albums of 199247/521
2026 JMGL95Top 32 Music Albums of 199225/321
2026 BachTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s95/1001
2026LittleM1971Greatest Music Albums: 201-30071/100 -
2026 AAL2014Top 52 Music Albums of 19924/525
2026LittleM1971Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s67/1007
2026 RomanelliTop 85 Music Albums of 199270/851
2026cicadelicTop 100 Music Albums of 19926/1005
2026cicadelicTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s45/10011
2026 BachTop 10 Music Albums of 19928/102
2026JohnnyoIndie albums of the year 1992 by Radio X7/25 -
2026 zags7000Top 100 Music Albums of 199226/1004
2026 arthurbittencourtTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s28/10015
2026SkernsTop 81 Music Albums of 199227/813
2026cicadelicLes Inrocks Les meilleurs albums 199211/41 -
2026 covecoveTop 100 Music Albums of 199213/1004
2026 eclabTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s40/10012
2026 PurplepashScrobbles Don't Lie27/100 -
2026 imacgillTop 100 Music Albums of 19927/1005
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 298
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 1,306
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Dry collection

Dry ratings

Average Rating: 
79/100 (from 360 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album.  | Show all 360 ratings for this album.

Sort Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
65/100
 
03/20/2026 16:57 jeremy9  Ratings distribution  3,67870/100
 
55/100
 
01/27/2026 15:21 Jakor  Ratings distribution  5,25368/100
 
100/100
 
01/17/2026 15:33 cicadelic  Ratings distribution  12,38373/100
 
100/100
 
01/15/2026 00:45 This_is_handsome  Ratings distribution  76979/100
 
90/100
 
12/21/2025 22:35 zags7000  Ratings distribution  20,45164/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 2% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 78.9/100, a mean average of 78.1/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 79.0/100. The standard deviation for this album is 14.0.

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Dry comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 17 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
85/100
From 08/07/2025 04:29 | #310458
This album has a confrontational quality which makes it pretty unique up to this time, despite its obvious influences (Patti Smith mainly). The vocals are dramatic and powerful, matched by the music which is also very powerful, and that's all three musicians, bass, drums, and guitar. I like the intense nature of their sound, however the quiet/loud dynamic gets a bit overdone. And the album runs out of steam in the final couple of tracks. But still a very good and impactful album overall.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 02/22/2022 15:20 | #281746
Dry guitars
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 11/23/2020 11:20 | #261261
Lifelong PJH fan here and ‘Dry’ is where it’s at for me , the debut ground floor entry for an amazing catalogue and here’s why

I simply love the guitars on this release from the driving “O Stella” to the classic “Sheela-na-gig “ and driving “Dress” the licks are on point and get me every time then throw in a bunch of weird sexualised lyrics and you’ve got an intoxicating mix

Polly may have released better albums that sold more copies and won more awards but for me nothing she’s done beats ‘Dry’ for shear brilliance and genuine X Factor lasting the test of time

Footnote:
I only realised recently that lyrically “Dress” has an uncanny resemblance to Pixies “Cactus “ off ‘Surfer Rosa’ , try and tell me I’m wrong because I know I’m not
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 07/20/2019 17:46 | #240012
Favorite Tracks:Happy And Bleeding
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
55/100
From 01/07/2018 22:28 | #204925
I'm concerned that I'm starting to present as misogynistic, as this is another female-powered album that eludes me on first listen.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 10/25/2016 13:50 | #177409
Great debut. Comparable to a roar from the heavens.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 06/13/2016 09:39 | #168596
Raw and uncompromising. Dry, the debut album from PJ Harvey, is a fantastically fresh and exciting record full of gritty rock'n'roll. Great songs throughout from an LP that is still one of Harvey's best. This is what it's all about.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 04/25/2015 23:02 | #140248
Brave debut!! RAW!

Dress and Oh my lover are my fav tracks!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/09/2015 10:08 | #131118
A great debut Side 2 (6-11)is better than Side 1 this was one of the last L.P.'s I bought on vinyl and it still sounds great. She went on to bigger and better things but this album is still special for me. Best Tacks - Sheela ....,Hair and O Stella. Oh My Lover, Fountain & Plants & Rags are also good.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 10/04/2014 19:24 | #123338
Cracking debut. Chaotic and all the better for that. Raw and soul.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1992
1. Automatic For The People by R.E.M.
2. Rage Against The Machine by Rage Against The Machine
3. Dirt by Alice In Chains
4. Slanted And Enchanted by Pavement
5. Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin
6. The Chronic by Dr. Dre
7. Angel Dust by Faith No More
8. Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos
9. Wish by The Cure
10. Down Colorful Hill by Red House Painters
11. Bone Machine by Tom Waits
12. Dirty by Sonic Youth
13. Images And Words by Dream Theater
14. Harvest Moon by Neil Young
15. Vulgar Display Of Power by Pantera
16. Core by Stone Temple Pilots
17. Check Your Head by Beastie Boys
18. Love Deluxe by Sade
19. Copper Blue by Sugar
20. Dry by PJ Harvey