This invention relates to a magnetic recording medium whose coefficient of friction is lowered without lowering S/N and which has an improved running property, which comprises a magnetic recording layer on one side of a nonmagnetic support and a back layer containing an inorganic powder and a binder and having a thickness of at most 2.mu., on the other side thereof, characterized in that the surface of the back layer is provided with surface projections with a height of 0.05 to 0.8.mu., an interval of at least 50.mu. and 50 to 50,000 projections/cm.sup.2.