By 1992, Madonna was an icon—untouchable, literally and figuratively—and Erotica was the first time the artist’s music took on a decidedly combative, even threatening tone, and most people didn’t want to hear it. Erotica’s irrefutable unsexiness probably says more about the sex = death mentality of the early ‘90s than any other musical document of its time. This is not Madonna at her creative zenith. This is Madonna at her most important, at her most relevant. No one else in the mainstream at that time dared to talk about sex, love, and death with such frankness and fearlessness. a b Power, Tony (December 2003). "Madonna: Erotica". Blender (22). Archived from the original on August 18, 2004 . Retrieved March 10, 2017. Stottrup, Jeni Wren (October 14, 2015). "Madonna's Misunderstood Erotica". The Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017 . Retrieved October 22, 2017. a b "France: Around the French Companies" (PDF). Billboard. Vol.105, no.21. May 22, 1993. p.F-4. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2021 . Retrieved January 30, 2021. a b "Argentinian album certifications – Madonna – Erotica" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008.

By 1992, Madonna was an icon—untouchable, literally and figuratively—and Erotica was the first time the artist's music took on a decidedly combative, even threatening tone, and most people didn't want to hear it. Erotica 's irrefutable unsexiness probably says more about the sex=death mentality of the early '90s than any other musical document of its time. This is not Madonna at her creative zenith. This is Madonna at her most important, at her most relevant. No one else in the mainstream at that time dared to talk about sex, love, and death with such frankness and fearlessness." a b c Browne, David (October 23, 1992). "Erotica". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015 . Retrieved July 4, 2011. a b c "Search by Song Title". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009 . Retrieved August 29, 2012. CDs/Os mais vendidos". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese): 6. December 3, 1992 . Retrieved August 9, 2023.

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a b c Samaniego, Fernando (October 20, 1992). "El libro de Madonna tuvo un discreto estreno en la noche de Madrid". El País (in Spanish). Spain. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021 . Retrieved February 6, 2021. Top 10 Albums" (PDF). Music Week. October 24, 1992. p.22. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 9, 2021 . Retrieved February 18, 2021. Another 'Bad Girl' Rips Up a Photograph on 'SNL' ". Deseret News. January 18, 1993. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021 . Retrieved December 23, 2012. a b Soto, Alfred (January 17, 2006). "Madonna— Erotica". Stylus. Archived from the original on May 30, 2006 . Retrieved July 6, 2012.

a b "European Top 100 Albums". Music & Media. Amsterdam. 9 (47): 20. November 14, 1992. OCLC 29800226. a b c d e "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. November 14, 1992. p.22. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 17, 2021 . Retrieved March 26, 2018. The album sold over 6 million copies worldwide and spawned six singles: “ Erotica,” “ Deeper and Deeper,” “ Bad Girl,” “ Fever,” “ Rain,” and “ Bye Bye Baby”.In the United States, Erotica debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 on November 7, 1992, with first week sales of 167,000 copies. [62] It was held off from reaching the top spot by Garth Brooks's fourth studio album, The Chase, which that same week sold 4,000 copies more than Erotica. [63] The next week, the album dropped to number four on the chart. [33] It was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of two million units. [64] According to Nielsen SoundScan, Erotica has sold 1.91million copies in the United States as of December 2016, along with 79,000 sold through BMG Music Clubs. [65] [66] In Canada, the album debuted at number seven on the RPM Albums Chart on November 7, 1992. [67] It reached a peak of number four on November 21, 1992. [68] The album was present for a total of 38 weeks on the chart, and was certified two times platinum by Music Canada (MC) for shipments of 200,000 copies. [69]