A magnetic recording medium has a laminated magnetic structure with at
least three magnetic layers, wherein the magnetic layers have decreasing
intrinsic coercivity H.sub.0 with distance from the write head. The write
field at the center of each magnetic layer is greater than that layer's
H.sub.0. The magnetic layers have different compositions and/or
thicknesses and thereby different values of H.sub.0. The alloys used in
the middle and upper magnetic layers are relatively "high-moment" alloys
that would not ordinarily be used in magnetic recording media because
they have relatively low S.sub.0NR, but the overall S.sub.0NR of the
laminated magnetic structure is improved because of the effect of
lamination. The middle and upper magnetic layers can be made
substantially thinner, which enables the magnetic layers to be located
closer to the write head, thereby exposing each of the magnetic layers to
a higher write field.