This paper presents own results in the field of organic recording media for bitwise working (WERM) and archival (WORM) optical memory. For the development of recording media for bitwise WERM optical memory thermally irreversible photochromic compounds from diarylethene, fulgimide classes manifesting reversible photoinduced valence are used. For making WORM optical memory chromons which form fluorescent products from nonluminescent compounds during irreversible photochemical reaction under laser UV irradiation are suggested. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)