MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM AND CARTRIDGE

Provided is a magnetic recording medium capable of curbing deterioration in electromagnetic conversion characteristics.A magnetic recording medium with a tape shape includes a substrate that contains polyesters, an underlayer that is provided on the substrate, and a magnetic layer that is provided on the underlayer and contains a magnetic powder. The magnetic recording medium contains a lubricant. An average value of arithmetic average roughnesses Ra of a surface of the magnetic layer is 1.3 nm or less. In a case where an average value of peak half widths of a spacing increase region generated on an entrance side of a glass pseudo head which the magnetic recording medium enters when the magnetic recording medium is slid over the glass pseudo head is set as a spacing index SRL and an average value of peak half widths of a spacing increase region generated in the vicinity of an edge of the magnetic recording medium in a width direction when the magnetic recording medium is slid over the glass pseudo head is set as a spacing index SRT, the spacing index SRL is 35 μm or less and the spacing index SRT is 68 μm or less.