Abstract: An optical recording member comprising a recording layer containing a light abosrbing substance supported on a substrate in which recording is made by the thermal deformation of the recording layer owing to laser beams and reproduction is made by the reading the difference of the reflection between the non-deformation portion and the deformation portion, said light absorbing substance being represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein one of X and Y is --O(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.n R wherein R is an alkyl group which may be branched and n is a number of from 1 to 6, and the other is a hydrogen atom, and A is VO, Cu, Ni, or Co.