A grain diameter controlling crystalline layer comprising crystalline grains of a metal selected from the group consisting essentially of Cu, Ni, Rh and Pt was formed on a substrate. Then, deposited atom layer of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and carbon was formed on the surface of the grain diameter control layer. A magnetic recording layer was deposited on the atoms deposited grain diameter controlling crystalline layer. Then a magnetic recording medium in which the magnetic crystalline grains has small grain diameter and small grain diameter distribution, and the magnetic recording medium shows increased signal to noise ratio at high recording density.