Modern ground- and space-based observatories are obtaining unprecedentedly detailed observations of the multi-wavelength emission of large samples of galaxies at cosmic noon, providing new information on their stellar populations, chemical evolution, stellar mass growth, and energy production. In order to understand these observations in the context of galaxy evolution theories, spectral energy distribution models are necessary to translate the observed light into key physical properties such as stellar mass, star formation rate, metallicity, and dust content. In this talk, I will review the main ingredients of spectral energy distribution models and I will describe recent and ongoing model developments required to interpret observations of intermediate and high-redshift galaxies.