This review describes recent results in the field of poly(aryleneethynylene)s (PAEs) that contain metal ions in the polymer backbone, or in the polymer side chain. This work is focused primarily on polymers possessing ligands of metal complexes as part of the aryleneethynylene chain. PAEs with porphyrinylene in the backbone have also been addressed. Synthetic routes toward the polymers, as well as their photochemical, photophysical, and electrochemical properties, are presented. Monodisperse oligo(phenyleneethynylene)s with terminal metal complexes or with a ferrocene and thiol at each end are mentioned.