Recent advances in spectrally selective absorbers (SSAs) focus on materials, nanostructures, and photothermal power generation. These SSAs are crucial for achieving high solar absorption and minimal infrared thermal loss, thereby improving solar utilization efficiency. This review evaluates the latest developments in photothermal materials such as ceramic composites, MXenes, high-entropy materials, and graphene. These materials offer promising solutions to enhance SSA performance. The review discusses strategies for integrating these advanced materials with established nanostructures, which is a key approach for developing high-performance SSAs. It also explores the application of SSAs in concentrated solar power (CSP) systems and solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) to boost power generation efficiency. Challenges and opportunities in high-temperature SSAs are summarized, providing insights into their development and role in solar-thermal power generation systems. The review highlights the importance of solar absorptivity, thermal emissivity, photothermal conversion efficiency, and lifetime evaluation in SSA performance. It covers fabrication techniques such as magnetron sputtering and sol-gel methods, and introduces promising materials suitable for SSA preparation. The review also discusses emerging advanced materials for SSAs, including ceramic composites, MXenes, high-entropy materials, and graphene. These materials offer opportunities for enhancing optical properties and improving thermal and chemical stability. The review emphasizes the potential of these materials in advancing SSAs and their applications in photothermal conversion. The review also discusses advanced structures for SSAs, including intrinsic SSAs, multilayer structured SSAs, and dual-ceramic structural SSAs. These structures enhance light absorption and thermal stability, making them promising for high-performance SSAs. The review concludes with the challenges and opportunities in the development of high-temperature SSAs, providing valuable insights for future research.Recent advances in spectrally selective absorbers (SSAs) focus on materials, nanostructures, and photothermal power generation. These SSAs are crucial for achieving high solar absorption and minimal infrared thermal loss, thereby improving solar utilization efficiency. This review evaluates the latest developments in photothermal materials such as ceramic composites, MXenes, high-entropy materials, and graphene. These materials offer promising solutions to enhance SSA performance. The review discusses strategies for integrating these advanced materials with established nanostructures, which is a key approach for developing high-performance SSAs. It also explores the application of SSAs in concentrated solar power (CSP) systems and solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) to boost power generation efficiency. Challenges and opportunities in high-temperature SSAs are summarized, providing insights into their development and role in solar-thermal power generation systems. The review highlights the importance of solar absorptivity, thermal emissivity, photothermal conversion efficiency, and lifetime evaluation in SSA performance. It covers fabrication techniques such as magnetron sputtering and sol-gel methods, and introduces promising materials suitable for SSA preparation. The review also discusses emerging advanced materials for SSAs, including ceramic composites, MXenes, high-entropy materials, and graphene. These materials offer opportunities for enhancing optical properties and improving thermal and chemical stability. The review emphasizes the potential of these materials in advancing SSAs and their applications in photothermal conversion. The review also discusses advanced structures for SSAs, including intrinsic SSAs, multilayer structured SSAs, and dual-ceramic structural SSAs. These structures enhance light absorption and thermal stability, making them promising for high-performance SSAs. The review concludes with the challenges and opportunities in the development of high-temperature SSAs, providing valuable insights for future research.