Year: 1992
Record label: Maverick/Sire Records
Worth Today: $3,000 to $4,000*

Erotica was Madonna’s fifth album. She recorded it at Sound Works Studios in New York City alongside Shep Pettibone and Andre Betts. Madonna was working on her book, Sex, and several films at the time. Pettibone and Madonna started making the demos for the album in Pettibone’s apartment before getting to the studio.

Pettibone allegedly tried to keep the production of Erotica as fast-moving as possible, as he was worried that the singer would “lose interest” in the album. He later described her compositions as “intense” and “serious.” Erotica would be followed by the 1994 album, Bedtime Stories.