A magnetic recording medium includes a flexible and elongated substrate, a soft magnetic layer having an average thickness of 10 nm or more to 50 nm or less, and a recording layer. The soft magnetic layer is disposed between the substrate and the recording layer, and a difference in Young's modulus between the magnetic recording medium and the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate is 2.4 GPa or more.

A magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate; a recording layer; and a layer being provided between the substrate and the recording layer, the layer containing a superelastic body.

A stack comprises a substrate, a magnetic recording layer, and a negative thermal expansion layer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic recording layer. The negative thermal expansion layer is configured to reduce thermal profile changes of a surface of the stack opposite the substrate during a heat assisted magnetic recording write operation.

A magnetic recording medium includes: a flexible and elongated substrate; a soft magnetic layer having an average thickness of 10 nm or more to 50 nm or less; and a recording layer, in which the soft magnetic layer is disposed between the substrate and the recording layer, and a difference in Young's modulus between the magnetic recording medium and the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate is 2.4 GPa or more.

A magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate; a recording layer; and a layer being provided between the substrate and the recording layer, the layer containing a superelastic body.