A magnetic recording medium that can exhibit good traveling performance during use is provided. This magnetic recording medium is a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, and includes a substrate, a base layer disposed on the substrate, and a magnetic layer disposed on the base layer. On the surface of the magnetic layer, recesses having a depth of 20% or more of the average thickness of the magnetic layer are formed at a ratio of 20 or more and 200 or less per 1600 μm.sup.2. On the surface of the magnetic layer, a logarithmic decay rate determined by a pendulum viscoelasticity test at a temperature of 10° C. or higher and 45° C. or lower is 0.025 or more and 0.040 or less. A difference between a maximum value of the logarithmic decay rate and a minimum value of the logarithmic decay rate is 0 or more and 0.020 or less. The squareness ratio in the perpendicular direction is 65% or more. The average thickness of the magnetic layer is 80 nm or less. The average thickness of the magnetic recording medium is 5.6 μm or less.

The magnetic recording medium includes: a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, in which a difference S.sub.after−S.sub.before between a spacing S.sub.after measured on a surface of the magnetic layer by optical interferometry after methyl-ethyl-ketone cleaning and a spacing S.sub.before measured on the surface of the magnetic layer by optical interferometry before methyl-ethyl-ketone cleaning is more than 0 nm and 15.0 nm or less, and the non-magnetic support is an aromatic polyamide support having a moisture absorption of 2.2% or less.

A magnetic recording medium that can exhibit good traveling performance during use is provided. This magnetic recording medium is a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, and includes a substrate, a base layer disposed on the substrate, and a magnetic layer disposed on the base layer. On the surface of the magnetic layer, recesses having a depth of 20% or more of the average thickness of the magnetic layer are formed at a ratio of 20 or more and 200 or less per 1600 μm.sup.2. On the surface of the magnetic layer, a logarithmic decay rate determined by a pendulum viscoelasticity test at a temperature of 10° C. or higher and 45° C. or lower is 0.025 or more and 0.035 or less. A difference between a maximum value of the logarithmic decay rate and a minimum value of the logarithmic decay rate is 0 or more and 0.020 or less. The squareness ratio in the perpendicular direction is 65% or more. The average thickness of the magnetic layer is 80 nm or less. The average thickness of the magnetic recording medium is 5.6 μm or less.

The magnetic recording medium includes: a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, in which a difference S.sub.afterS.sub.before between a spacing S.sub.after measured on a surface of the magnetic layer by optical interferometry after methyl-ethyl-ketone cleaning and a spacing S.sub.before measured on the surface of the magnetic layer by optical interferometry before methyl-ethyl-ketone cleaning is more than 0 nm and 15.0 nm or less, and the non-magnetic support is an aromatic polyamide support having a moisture absorption of 2.2% or less.

The magnetic recording medium contains one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of a polymer P and a polymer Q in a portion on the non-magnetic support on the magnetic layer side. R.sup.1 represents a monovalent aromatic group or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 6 or more carbon atoms and L.sup.1 represents a single bond or a divalent group. R.sup.2 represents a monovalent polar group and L.sup.2 represents a single bond or a divalent group. R.sup.3 represents a monovalent aromatic group or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 6 or more carbon atoms, L.sup.3 represents a single bond or a divalent group, and R.sup.11 represents an alkyl group. R.sup.4 represents a monovalent polar group, L.sup.4 represents a single bond or a divalent group and R.sup.12 represents an alkyl group.

##STR00001##