Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target essentially consisting of cobalt-platinum-copper oxide-oxide (CoPt—CuO-oxide), cobalt-chrome-platinum-copper oxide-oxide (CoCrPt—CuO-oxide), or cobalt-chrome-platinum-boron-copper oxide-oxide (CoCrPtB—CuO-oxide) with addition of CuO. The sputtering target is applied to a recording material of a magnetic recording medium. The thickness of the oxide grain boundary in the sputtering target is reduced, resulting from the decreased amount of oxide in the sputtering target, to allow a sputtering process utilizing the same to become more stable. Further, the volume of the magnetic grains per unit area is increased, whereby a better thermal stability and a high recording density are acquired.