DeRogatis, Jim (October 21, 1992). "Direct Marketing // Madonna Hopes 'Sex' Will Sell". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017 . Retrieved March 10, 2017. 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 "Canadian album certifications – Madonna – Erotica". Music Canada . Retrieved January 25, 2014. Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. November 7, 1992. p.46. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 10, 2021 . Retrieved March 26, 2018. a b c d e f g h Berger, Arion (November 26, 1992). "Erotica". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015 . Retrieved July 4, 2011.

a b Soto, Alfred (January 17, 2006). "Madonna— Erotica". Stylus. Archived from the original on May 30, 2006 . Retrieved July 6, 2012. LP / CD)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). October 22, 1992. p.23. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021 . Retrieved December 30, 2021.MTV Video Music Awards – 1993". MTV. September 2, 1993. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011 . Retrieved July 6, 2012. The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1993". Cash Box. December 31, 1991. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012 . Retrieved April 10, 2021. Also, especially before release dates were common knowledge through the internet, record stores did shelve albums before the official date. a b Trust, Gary (December 12, 2016). "Ask Billboard: Madonna's Career Album Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 12, 2016 . Retrieved December 12, 2016.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cinquemani, Sal (February 24, 2007). "Madonna: Erotica". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013 . Retrieved July 4, 2011. 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. Erotica was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and went on to sell more than six million copies worldwide. 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. 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]McNair, Brian (2002). Striptease Culture: Sex, Media and the Democratization of Desire. Psychology Press. ISBN 0-415-23733-5.

Top 10 Albums" (PDF). Music Week. October 24, 1992. p.22. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 9, 2021 . Retrieved February 18, 2021.a b c d e f g h i j k l Pettibone, Shep. "Erotica Diaries— Written by Shep Pettibone". ShepPettibone.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011 . Retrieved July 4, 2011.