Four cyanine dye-TCNQ (Tetracyanoquinodimethane) complexes were synthesized and used as optical recording media. The optical recording properties of cyanine dye-TCNQ complexes wre compared with cyanine dyes. Cyanine dye-TCNQ complexes are spin coatable and highly sensitive to laser light. High CNR (carrier to noise ratio) could be obtained even with low laser power and high recording speed The preparation of cyanine dye-TCNQ complexes and their spectral properties along with the optical recording measurements wre discussed