Based on electromagnetic radiation characteristics, the present research studied the damage evolution of rock under uniaxial compression. Besides, this research built the coal-rock damage evolution model considered residual strength. The applicability and accuracy of the model were verified through experiments. The results show that coal-rock damage evolution consists of four periods. The first period is from the beginning of compression to nearly 20% of the stress peak value, during which the damage variable changes stably about 0.1, and accordingly a few of electromagnetic radiation signals emerge. The second period is from about 20% to 70% of the stress peak value. The damage has stable development, and the parameter of electromagnetic radiation characteristics turns larger continuously with the increase of stress. The third period is when the damage has accelerated development, the coal-rock was broken which result from sharp increasing of the damage variable, meanwhile a great quantity of electromagnetic radiation signals emerge. The fourth period is after the coal-rock fracture, during which the damage variable corresponding to the parameter of electromagnetic radiation characteristics has a stable development. This research has great academic and realistic significance for further studies the electromagnetic radiation characteristics of coal-rock under loading and damage and the forecasting of coal-rock dynamic disasters. Based on electromagnetic radiation characteristics, the present research studied the damage evolution of rock under uniaxial compression. Besides, this research built the coal-rock damage evolution model considered residual strength. The results show that the coal-rock damage evolution consists of four periods. The first period is from the beginning of compression to nearly 20% of the stress peak value, during which the damage variable changes stably about 0.1, and accordingly a few of electromagnetic radiation signals emerge. The second period is from about 20% to 70% of the stress peak value. The damage has stable development, and the parameter of electromagnetic radiation characteristics turns greater continuously with the increase of stress. The third period when when the damage has accelerated development, the coal-rock was broken which result from sharp increasing of the damage variable, meanwhile a great qua ntity of electromagnetic radiation signals emerge. The fourth period is after the coal-rock fracture, during which the damage variable corresponding to the parameter of electromagnetic radiation characteristics has a stable development. This research has great academic and realistic significance for further studies the electromagnetic radiation characteristics of coal-rock under loading and damage and the forecasting of coal-rock dynamic disasters.