Articles coated with coatings containing light absorption materials

A coated article includes a substrate and a coating over at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes a first dielectric layer over at least a portion of the substrate; a first metallic layer over at least a portion of the first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer over at least a portion of the first metallic layer; and an overcoat over at least a portion of the second dielectric layer. A light absorbing layer is between second dielectric layer and the overcoat or is part of the overcoat. The light absorbing layer includes Ge, GeO x , Hf, HfO x , HfO 2 , NbN x , NbN x O y , Si a Al b , Si a Al b O x , Si a Co b , Si a Co b O x , Si a Co b Cu c , Si a Co b Cu c O x , Si a Cr b , Si a Cr b O x , Si a Ni b , SiNiO x , SiO x , SnN x , SnO x , SnO x N y , TiN x , Ti a Nb b N x , Ti a Nb b O x , Ti a Nb b O x N y , TiO x N y , WO x , WO 2 , ZnO:Co, ZnO:Fe, ZnO:Mn, ZnO:Ni, ZnO:V, ZnO:Cr, Zn a Sn b , Zn a Sn b O x , or any combination thereof.