Erotica cover art

  Studio Album · No. 5

Erotica Songwriting Credits by Madonna

1992 Maverick / Sire Records 14 tracks 75 min

Produced by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Andre Betts

Maverick / Sire Records Dance-popDeep HouseHip HopR&B
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 14 of 14 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 14 / 14 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether Madonna carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
14 trackswritten by Madonna 0 tracksoutside writers
Madonna's roles on this album

Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer79%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

14
Tracks
5
Lyricists
3
Producers
6 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1992
Released
Data Insight

Madonna co-wrote nearly all of Erotica with her two main collaborators on the record, Shep Pettibone and André Betts, who also produced it. The concept album about sex and desire is one of her most hands-on writing efforts, with the lone cover being 'Fever,' originally written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell. Betts brought a hip-hop and spoken-word edge to tracks like 'Did You Do It?,' while Pettibone shaped the house-driven singles.

Erotica, released October 20, 1992, is Madonna's fifth studio album and arguably her most provocative, arriving simultaneously with her art book Sex and establishing an entire aesthetic era built around BDSM imagery, queer sexuality, and radical self-determination. Madonna co-wrote all 14 tracks, primarily with Shep Pettibone and Andre Betts. The album was both a commercial success and a critical lightning rod. Singles included 'Erotica,' 'Deeper and Deeper,' 'Bad Girl,' and 'Rain.' The album fused house, R&B, and new jack swing.

Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Erotica #3
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
2
Fever
MadonnaHenlee Brown MadonnaHenlee Brown MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
3
Bye Bye Baby
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
4
Bad Girl
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
5
Waiting
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
6
Thief of Hearts
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
7
Words
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
8
Rain #14
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
9
Why's It So Hard
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
10
In This Life
MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
11
Did You Do It?
MadonnaAndre Betts MadonnaAndre Betts Andre Betts Madonna (Lead Vocals)
12
Secret Garden
MadonnaAndre Betts MadonnaAndre Betts Andre Betts Madonna (Lead Vocals)
13
Deeper and Deeper #7
MadonnaShep PettiboneAnthony Shimkin MadonnaShep PettiboneAnthony Shimkin MadonnaShep Pettibone Madonna (Lead Vocals)
14
Where Life Begins
MadonnaAndre Betts MadonnaAndre Betts Andre Betts Madonna (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

M
Madonna
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album14 written
SP
Shep Pettibone
Writer · Producer
On this album10 written
AB
Andre Betts
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
AS
Anthony Shimkin
Writer
On this album1 written
HB
Henlee Brown
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Madonna

1983 63%
Madonna
Sire Records
8 tracksProd. Mark Kamins
1984 56%
Like a Virgin
Sire Records
9 tracksProd. Nile Rodgers
1986 100%
True Blue
Sire Records
9 tracksProd. Madonna
1989 100%
Like a Prayer
Sire / Warner Bros. Records
11 tracksProd. Madonna
1994 73%
Bedtime Stories
Maverick / Sire Records
11 tracksProd. Dallas Austin
1998 100%
Ray of Light
Maverick / Warner Bros. Records
13 tracksProd. William Orbit
2000 100%
Music
Maverick / Warner Bros. Records
12 tracksProd. Mirwais Ahmadzai
2003 100%
American Life
Maverick / Warner Bros. Records
13 tracksProd. Madonna
2005 100%
Confessions on a Dance Floor
Warner Bros. Records
12 tracksProd. Stuart Price
2008 100%
Hard Candy
Warner Bros. Records
12 tracksProd. Pharrell Williams
2012 100%
MDNA
Interscope / Verve Records
12 tracksProd. Martin Solveig
2015 100%
Rebel Heart
Interscope / Verve Records
19 tracksProd. Diplo
2019 100%
Madame X
Interscope / Verve Records
15 tracksProd. Dino d'Santiago
2022 100%
Finally Enough Love
Warner Bros. Records
16 tracksProd. Nile Rodgers

Frequently Asked Questions Erotica

When did Madonna release Erotica?
Madonna released Erotica on October 20, 1992 through Maverick, Sire, and Warner Bros. Records. It arrived alongside her Sex book and marked the most explicit phase of her career.
Did Madonna write Erotica herself?
Madonna co-wrote all 14 tracks on Erotica with her producers Shep Pettibone and André Betts. The one song she did not write is 'Fever,' a cover of the standard written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell.
Who produced Erotica by Madonna?
Erotica was produced by Madonna together with Shep Pettibone and André Betts. Pettibone handled the house-influenced singles while Betts produced the more hip-hop and spoken-word oriented tracks.
Who wrote the song Erotica by Madonna?
The title track 'Erotica' was co-written by Madonna and Shep Pettibone. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 as the album's lead single.
Is Fever by Madonna a cover?
Yes, 'Fever' on Erotica is a cover of the song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, first popularized by Little Willie John and later Peggy Lee. It is the only song on the album Madonna did not co-write.
How many copies did Erotica by Madonna sell?
Erotica has sold over 6 million copies worldwide. It is certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA in the United States.

Sources

Wikipedia: Erotica (album) MusicBrainz: Erotica (release group) Cover Art Archive: Erotica Cover Art Archive: Erotica by Madonna