Erotica is the fifth studio album by American singer Madonna, released on October 20, 1992, by Maverick and Sire Records. The album was released simultaneously with Madonna's first book publication Sex, a coffee table book containing explicit photographs of the singer, and marked her first release under Maverick, her own multimedia entertainment company. For the album, the singer enlisted Shep Pettibone and André Betts, with whom she had collaborated on 1990's "Vogue" and The Immaculate Collection.

In mid-1991, Pettibone sent Madonna a three-track demo; she listened to the songs and liked all of them. Afterwards, the two met in New York City to start working on more music. The singer would write the melodies and lyrics on top of the music Pettibone produced in the style of his previous remixes. Erotica has been noted as a concept album about sex and romance in times of HIV/AIDS, with songs that touch "unpleasant" themes such as S&M and homophobia. Additionally, it marked a departure of the dance-oriented nature of Madonna's previous works, incorporating elements of hip-hop, house, techno, and New Jack Swing.

Upon release, it received praise from critics, who regarded it as one of Madonna's most adventurous albums. Some, however, felt the music was overshadowed by its sexual themes. Commercially, it was less successful than Madonna's previous endeavors; it peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200, becoming her first studio album not to top the chart since her debut. Internationally, it reached the first spot in Australia, Finland, and France, and peaked within the top five of several other countries such as Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Erotica was later certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and has sold more than six million copies worldwide.

Six singles were released from the album, including the title track and "Deeper and Deeper", both of which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The album was supported by the Girlie Show, Madonna's fourth concert tour, which visited cities in Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Asia in 1993. Somewhat overlooked at the time of its release in part due to the backlash surrounding the Sex book, Erotica has been retrospectively considered one of Madonna's most important albums, as well as one of the most revolutionary of all time by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Many critics have since noted influence of Erotica in works by contemporary female artists such as Janet Jackson to Beyoncé.