Magnetic recording medium

A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic substrate;

• a non-magnetic layer that is formed on one of principal surfaces of the non-magnetic substrate and contains a non-magnetic powder, a binder, and a lubricant;
• and a magnetic layer that is formed on a principal surface of the non-magnetic layer opposite to the non-magnetic substrate and contains a magnetic powder and a binder,
• wherein the magnetic powder is either a platy hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder or a spherical iron nitride magnetic powder,
• the magnetic layer has a thickness of 10 to 150 nm,
• the magnetic layer has a surface roughness of 1 nm or more and less than 2 nm,
• the magnetic powder has an average particle size between 10 nm and 25 nm inclusive,
• a lubricant layer is formed on a surface of the magnetic layer, and
• when spacing of the surface of the magnetic layer before and after washing the magnetic recording medium with n-hexane is measured with a TSA (Tape Spacing Analyzer) while pressurizing the surface of the magnetic recording medium under a pressing pressure of 0.5 atm, the value of the spacing before washing is 1 to 5 nm smaller than the value of 5 to 10 nm of the spacing after washing.