The magnetic recording medium includes a support and a magnetic layer containing a magnetic powder. The magnetic powder includes at least either of a magnetic particle containing a cubic ferrite and a magnetic particle containing an -phase iron oxide. The magnetic powder has a mean particle size of 10 nm or more and 14 nm or less, the magnetic powder has a mean aspect ratio of 0.75 or more and 1.25 or less, and the magnetic layer has a ten-point mean roughness Rz of 35 nm or less.

A product such as a magnetic recording tape, according to one embodiment, includes a flexible magnetic media having a substrate, a magnetic recording layer having cobalt therein, and an at least partially polycrystalline coating above the magnetic recording layer. A product according to another embodiment includes a flexible magnetic media having a substrate, a magnetic recording layer having cobalt therein, and coating above the magnetic recording layer. The coating includes a ceramic material.

A sputtering target according to the present invention contains Co and Pt as metal components, wherein a molar ratio of a content of Pt to a content of Co is from 5/100 to 45/100, and wherein the sputtering target contains Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 as a metal oxide component.