Abstract: Magnetic recording media with a thermal spin injection layer that induces a spin injection in a magnetic recording layer in response to a thermal gradient in the thermal spin injection layer. The thermal spin injection layer may comprise an antiferromagnetic, a ferromagnetic, or a ferrimagnetic material that demonstrates a Spin Seebeck effect. In turn, when heating the magnetic recording media (e.g., with a near field transducer of a HAMR drive), the thermal gradient may be established in the thermal spin injection layer. A resulting spin torque field may assist in switching a magnetic domain in the magnetic recording layer by providing an assistive field to at least initiate switching of the magnetic domain. In turn, more reliable or efficient operation of a storage drive comprising the magnetic recording media may be realized.