PURPOSE: To improve mechanical characteristics and electric characteristics of a magnetic recording medium by allowing a small amt. of spherical solid additive to be omnipresent in the vicinity of the surface of the magnetic layer.

CONSTITUTION: The spherical solid additive of ≤1μm mean particle size is allowed to be omnipresent in the vicinity of the surface of the magnetic layer. Namely, in the spherical solid additive having ≤1μm average particle size, the wearing amount of a magnetic head is smaller than that of an aspherical and squarish solid additive, and the wearing amount of a head can be properly suppressed even when a considerable amt. of the additive is distributed on the surface of magnetic layer. Since the shape of the additive is spherical real contact area between the solid additive and the magnetic head can be reduced to insure the good traveling property. Thereby, the recording medium excellent in mechanical characteristics and electric characteristic is obtained.