A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising a non-magnetic interlayer structure selected from the group consisting of: (1) a structure comprising a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material having a <111> preferred growth orientation and a layer of a different material in overlying or underlying contact therewith; (2) a structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material adjacent a magnetically soft underlayer and having a <111> preferred growth orientation; and n layers of a different fcc non-magnetic material having a <111> preferred growth orientation, where n=1-5; (3) a structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material adjacent a magnetically soft underlayer and having a <111> preferred growth orientation; and a layer of a hcp non-magnetic material having a <0002> preferred growth orientation; (4) a structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material adjacent a magnetically soft underlayer and having a <111> preferred growth orientation; n layers of a different fcc non-magnetic material having a <111> preferred growth orientation, where n=1-5; and n layers of a hcp non-magnetic material having a <0002> preferred growth orientation, where n=1-5; and (5) an (fcc).sub.1/(hcp).sub.1/(fcc).sub.2/(hcp).sub.2 structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a first fcc layer (fcc).sub.1, a first hcp layer (hcp).sub.1, a second fcc layer (fcc).sub.2, and a second hcp layer (hcp).sub.2, wherein at least the first fcc layer is an Au-containing non-magnetic material.