There was a brief period in the early to mid 80s
when pre-recorded cassettes improved in quality.
Better materials and tape oxide formulations..
and more affordable advanced technology cassette decks.
Industry was keen to market them as a viable hi fi alternative to vinyl.
Even some of the more teen oriented portable boom boxes
were capable of decent quality playback.

Then CD happened.

I've just taken possession of 2 huge crates of a deceased relatives
very dusty MOR music cassette collection.
No charity shops will be interested these days;
and for the moment I'm very reluctant to just dispose of them as rubbish...
But neither am I that motivated to dig out a working cassette player.

I've got enough boxes of my own cassettes stored at my mums house
that I haven't bothered with for over 10 years.