Acousto-optic modulators have been widely used in many fields such as laser technology, network communication, and radar spectrum analyzer. As the key component of acousto-optic devices, various types of acousto-optic materials have been extensively studied.First, the basic theory of acousto-optic diffraction and the important performance parameters of acousto-optic materials, including diffraction efficiency, quality factor, and ultrasonic attenuation, are briefly summarized; second, the research progress of acousto-optic crystals and glass materials and their applications in the field of acousto-optic modulators are reviewed; finally, the research status of new acousto-optic materials in recent years is summarized and stated, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of crystal and glass as commercial acousto-optic materials respectively, which provides reference for further improving the performance of acousto-optic devices and expanding their application fields.