Erotica is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on October 20, 1992 by Maverick Records, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked mostly with Shep Pettibone, as well as André Betts. Famously released simultaneously with Madonna's first book publication, Sex, the album is driven by its sexual themes. It is Madonna's first album to feature a Parental Advisory sticker. The album incorporates influences from house music, new jack swing, and lounge music. Many of the songs see Madonna at her most provocative, drawing from themes of sex and romance, such as the lead single and title track "Erotica". Madonna was also inspired by the idea of homosexuality, particularly in the album's second single "Deeper and Deeper". Others take on a more confessional tone, influenced by the loss of two of Madonna's close friends to the AIDS epidemic. Visually, Madonna was inspired by the works of Andy Warhol and BDSM culture. Erotica was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. Rolling Stone described the album as "a post-AIDS album about romance." Commercially, the album failed to live up to the success of its predecessors, possibly owing to the negative backlash surrounding the album's sexuality. Peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, the album was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It peaked in the top five in most territories, topping the charts in Australia. Six singles were released from the album-"Erotica", "Deeper and Deeper", "Bad Girl", "Fever", "Rain" and "Bye Bye Baby". The album failed to produce any number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide the album has sold over 5 million copies. The Erotica era has more recently been seen as one of Madonna's most important owing to the controversy surrounding it. She faced strong negative publicity from critics who commented that "she had gone too far" and that her career was over. The album, however, spawned the critically successful Girlie Show World Tour. Erotica is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on October 20, 1992 by Maverick Records, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked mostly with Shep Pettibone, as well as André Betts. Famously released simultaneously with Madonna's first book publication, Sex, the album is driven by its sexual themes. It is Madonna's first album to feature a Parental Advisory sticker. The album incorporates influences from house music, new jack swing, and lounge music. Many of the songs see Madonna at her most provocative, drawing from themes of sex and romance, such as the lead single and title track "Erotica". Madonna was also inspired by the idea of homosexuality, particularly in the album's second single "Deeper and Deeper". Others take on a more confessional tone, influenced by the loss of two of Madonna's close friends to the AIDS epidemic. Visually, Madonna was inspired by the works of Andy Warhol and BDSM culture. Erotica was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. Rolling Stone described the album as "a post-AIDS album about romance." Commercially, the album failed to live up to the success of its predecessors, possibly owing to the negative backlash surrounding the album's sexuality. Peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, the album was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It peaked in the top five in most territories, topping the charts in Australia. Six singles were released from the album-"Erotica", "Deeper and Deeper", "Bad Girl", "Fever", "Rain" and "Bye Bye Baby". The album failed to produce any number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide the album has sold over 5 million copies. The Erotica era has more recently been seen as one of Madonna's most important owing to the controversy surrounding it. She faced strong negative publicity from critics who commented that "she had gone too far" and that her career was over. The album, however, spawned the critically successful Girlie Show World Tour. false 2025-11-07 22:01:49 1992 1992-01-01 1992-01-01 81 Club Dance Dance-Pop Downtempo Electronic Hip Hop House New Jack Swing Pop Rock Synth-Pop Trip Hop 111255 2109824 865ee489-de17-4cba-afd0-3294ba59a23f 79239441-bfd5-4981-a70c-55c3f15c1287 7a6a2e9f-c699-3da5-a2d7-144d6ccba3e6 /media/data/media5/Music/Madonna/Erotica/folder.jpg Madonna Madonna 1 1 05:18 1 1 05:18 1 2 05:18 1 2 05:00 1 3 03:56 1 4 05:33 1 5 05:57 1 6 05:23 1 7 05:46 1 8 04:51 1 9 05:55 1 10 05:24 1 11 05:23 1 12 06:23 1 13 05:32 Madonna Louise Ciccone (; Italian: [tʃikˈkoːne]; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. She has influenced various other artists and has often been referred to as the "Queen of Pop". Madonna is noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation. She has pushed the boundaries of artistic expression in mainstream music, while maintaining control over every aspect of her career. Her works, which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. As a globalized figure, Madonna is also noted for her cultural impact throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. She has her own academic subdiscipline devoted to her named Madonna studies. Scholarly reviews and literature works on her made Madonna one of the most "well-documented figures of the modern age". Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She followed it with a series of successful albums, including all-time bestsellers Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986) and The Immaculate Collection (1990) as well as Grammy Award winners Ray of Light (1998) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Madonna has amassed many number-one singles throughout her career, including "Like a Virgin", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes". Madonna's popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996). While Evita won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, many of her other films received poor reviews. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992. It included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include fashion brands, written works, health clubs, and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006. With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and holds the record for the most number-one singles by a female artist in Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. With a revenue of over U.S. $1.5 billion from her concert tickets, she remains the highest-grossing solo touring artist of all time. Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, her first year of eligibility. She was ranked as the greatest woman in music by VH1, and as the greatest music video artist of all time by MTV and Billboard. Rolling Stone also listed Madonna among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. She also featured in several Forbes earning lists as the highest-grossing female artist during various years across four consecutive decades. MaverickSire RecordsWarner Bros. Records