A perpendicular magnetic recording medium has an "exchange-spring" type magnetic recording layer (RL) with an improved coupling layer (CL). The RL includes the first or lower ferromagnetic layer MAG1, sometimes called the "media" layer, the second or upper ferromagnetic layer MAG2, sometimes called the "exchange-spring" layer, and the intermediate CL that provides ferromagnetic exchange coupling between MAG1 and MAG2. The CL is formed of NiCr or RuCr based alloys, or CoCr or CoCrB alloys with high Cr and/or B content (Cr plus B>about 25 atomic percent), or RuCoCr alloys with low Co content (