Coal tar pitch has been traditionally used in the aluminium and graphite industry as a binder for anode and electrode manufacture. Further, coal-tar pitches have been studied as matrix precursors in carbon-carbon composites for carbon foam preparation and for energy storage carbons among others. The possibility of obtaining a wide range of carbon materials of different structure and properties,depending on the characteristics of the parent pitch, or even from the same pitch by simply changing the experimental conditions, makes pitch a very suitable product for the tailoring of carbon materials. Currently, improved coal-based pitches are in the process of being developed from tar fractions, such as anthracene-oil with no QI, with the aim of obtaining graphitic materials. This paper offers an overview of traditional uses of coal tar pitches, their main markets and their potential as carbon material precursors.Peer reviewed