在1992年,Madonna推出了第五张专辑Erotica,这张专集充满争议。吓死人不犯罪的娜姐发行了充满情色的精装性爱写真Sex，书中尽是她和多位名模或歌手的春宫照片，不论是书评或是舆论界都给予极负面的评价，不过这却仍挡不住Madonna相关专辑Erotica全美销售表现。Madonna发行了一本花费昂贵的色情专刊，里面收录了数百张她和一些模特和一些名人的色情照片，并附在专辑“Erotica”卖了超过200万张。1993年，选自「Erotica」专辑的Bad Girl，再度为麦当娜创下历史，以第36名的成绩做结。和oh, Father一样，Bad Girl又是一首主题超级个人、也超级严肃的歌曲，在音乐录像带中，以死亡开始，也以死亡做终结，如此不讨喜的歌曲，会在流行市场大挫败，一点都不令人意外。但是此歌曲的点播率出奇的高。有人发现了将她的歌混起来听的乐趣。一个十年过去了，这张重节奏的「浩室舞曲」专辑Erotica，不知道你是否还常窝在那个叫做Deeper and deeper那个灰暗的小舞厅里，或是因为Rain还依旧深爱着蓝色；有一张无法让人入眠的Bedtime stories专辑，她虽然没有黑人歌手的歌喉，不过她的R&B音乐依旧适合街头。

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 due 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 due 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.