This review gives a simple introduction to the electronic, optical and structural behaviour of rod-coil block copolymers in which the rod block is conjugated The current understanding of the optical properties of conjugated polymers is discussed, as is the self-assembly characteristics of rod-coil block copolymers, along with their behaviour with respect to organic light-emitting diode and photovoltaic devices Poly(p-phenylene), poly(p-phenylenevinylene) and polythiophenes are then used to give concrete examples and a short history of the developments of this astounding field (C) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry